5058. neginah or neginath
Lexical Summary
neginah or neginath: Music, song, stringed instrument, or melody.

Original Word: נְגִינָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ngiynah
Pronunciation: neh-ghee-NAH or neh-ghee-NATH
Phonetic Spelling: (neg-ee-naw')
KJV: stringed instrument, musick, Neginoth (plural), song
NASB: song, stringed instruments, music, taunt
Word Origin: [from H5059 (נָגַן - play)]

1. (properly) instrumental music
2. (by implication) a stringed instrument
3. (by extension) a poem set to music
4. (specifically) an epigram

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
stringed instrument, music, Neginoth plural, song

Or ngiynath (Psa. 'abal:title) {neg-ee-nath'}; from nagan; properly, instrumental music; by implication, a stringed instrument; by extension, a poem set to music; specifically, an epigram -- stringed instrument, musick, Neginoth (plural), song.

see HEBREW nagan

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from nagan
Definition
music
NASB Translation
music (1), song (3), stringed instruments (2), taunt (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[נְגִינָה] noun feminine music; — absolute נְגִינַת Psalm 61:1 (see below); suffix נְגִינָתִי Psalm 77:7; נְגִינָתָם Job 30:9 2t.; plural נְגִינוֺת Psalm 4:1 6t.; נְגִינָתַי Isaiah 38:20; תָ֑י- Habakkuk 3:19; —

1 music (of stringed instrument) accusative of congnate meaning with verb Isaiah 38:20; as occupation Lamentations 5:14; especially בִּנְגִינוֺת in Psalm-titles; Psalm 4:1; Psalm 6:1; Psalm 54:1; Psalm 55:1; Psalm 67:1; Psalm 76:1; so Habakkuk 3:19; compare עַלנְֿגִינַת Psalm 61:1 (read perhaps plural Ges§ 80f.).

2 song (with string accompare?) Psalm 77:7; subject of mocking song Job 30:9 ("" מִלָּה), Psalm 69:13 (שׁוֺתֵי שֵׁכָר ׳נ), Lamentations 3:14 ("" שְׂחֹק).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

The Hebrew term נְגִינָה occurs thirteen times in the Old Testament and ranges in sense from reverent music for worship to the derisive songs of scoffers. The breadth of its usage paints a comprehensive picture of Israel’s musical life: exultant praise, personal lament, corporate petition, and even hostile mockery. Whether in the superscriptions of Psalms or the lamentations of exile, נְגִינָה consistently signals the presence—or conspicuous absence—of instrumental song that expresses the heart before God.

Liturgical and Devotional Usage

Six occurrences appear in Psalm headings (Psalm 4:1; 6:1; 54:1; 55:1; 61:1; 76:1), each directing the psalm “with stringed instruments.” These instructions reveal an established musical tradition within Israel’s corporate worship. Temple singers and Levite musicians (compare 1 Chronicles 15:16, 25:1) would have taken these directives seriously, accompanying prayers of confession (Psalm 6), pleas for protection (Psalm 54), and royal praise (Psalm 76) with lyres, harps, and related instruments. The placement of נְגִינָה at the head of the psalm integrates the instrumentation into the inspired text itself, underscoring the conviction that melody and message belong together in the worship of Yahweh.

Psalm 77:6 broadens the picture from formal worship to midnight meditation: “I remembered my song in the night; in my heart I mused, and my spirit pondered.” Here נְגִינָה is personal and reflective, showing that sacred music is not confined to public assemblies but nourishes individual faith in seasons of distress.

Songs of Taunt and Ridicule

In stark contrast, Job 30:9 and Psalm 69:12 deploy נְגִינָה as an instrument of scorn. Job laments, “Now I am their taunt song; I have become a byword among them,” while David recalls, “Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.” In both cases, the same word that sanctifies worship can be twisted into derision. This dual capacity highlights the moral responsibility attached to music: melodies can exalt God or belittle His servants.

Lamentations 3:14 intensifies the theme: “I have become a laughingstock to all my people; their taunting song all day long.” The fall of Jerusalem turned Judah’s traditional music into a vehicle of humiliation, fulfilling prophetic warnings that disobedience would silence joyous praise (compare Deuteronomy 28:64–67).

The Silence of Exile

Lamentations 5:14 paints a haunting scene: “The young men have ceased from music.” The absence of נְגִינָה represents more than cultural loss; it signals the withdrawal of covenant blessing. When the people are distant from God, their harps hang silent (compare Psalm 137:2). In this negative space, the longing for restored worship grows.

Songs of Deliverance and Eschatological Hope

Isaiah 38:20 records Hezekiah’s praise after deliverance from mortal illness: “The LORD is ready to save me; we will play stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.” Here נְגִינָה becomes a pledge of lifelong gratitude and a reaffirmation of temple-centered worship.

Habakkuk 3:19 closes the prophet’s oracle with triumphant assurance: “For the choirmaster. On my stringed instruments.” Against the backdrop of impending judgment, Habakkuk anticipates ultimate victory. The prophetic vision is entrusted to the musician so that hope may be sung until fulfillment arrives.

Historical Insights

1. Integration with Temple Worship: The prevalence of stringed accompaniment in Psalm superscriptions confirms that instrumental music was an essential component of Second Temple liturgy, not an optional embellishment.
2. Musical Leadership: References to the “choirmaster” imply organized guilds of skilled leaders (cf. 1 Chronicles 15–16).
3. Resilience of Faith: Even when national disaster muted the lyres, the very mention of נְגִינָה in laments kept alive the memory and promise of restored praise.

Ministry Implications

• Worship Planning: The biblical precedent endorses thoughtful selection of instruments that serve the text and theology of each song.
• Pastoral Care: Like Job and David, believers who are mocked for righteousness can find solidarity and expression in Scripture’s honest acknowledgment of taunt songs.
• Hope in Hardship: Isaiah and Habakkuk remind congregations to prepare songs of deliverance in advance, confident that God’s salvation will again turn silence into music.

Summary

נְגִינָה weaves through Scripture as a thread of melody—sometimes bright, sometimes dissonant—testifying that music is a powerful vehicle for worship, lament, memory, and hope. Its thirteen appearances urge the people of God to tune every string of the heart and every instrument of praise to the faithfulness of the LORD.

Forms and Transliterations
בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת בִּנְגִינ֗וֹת בִּנְגִינֹ֑ת בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת בִּנְגִינוֹתָֽי׃ בנגינות בנגינותי׃ בנגינת וּ֝נְגִינ֗וֹת וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י ונגינות ונגנותי מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃ מנגינתם׃ נְגִינַ֬ת נְגִינָתִ֗י נְגִינָתָ֖ם נְגִינָתָ֣ם נגינת נגינתי נגינתם bin·ḡî·nō·w·ṯāy bin·ḡî·nō·wṯ bin·ḡî·nōṯ bingiNot binḡînōṯ binginoTai binḡînōwṯ binḡînōwṯāy min·nə·ḡî·nā·ṯām minneginaTam minnəḡînāṯām nə·ḡî·nā·ṯām nə·ḡî·nā·ṯî nə·ḡî·naṯ negiNat nəḡînaṯ neginaTam nəḡînāṯām neginaTi nəḡînāṯî ū·nə·ḡi·nō·w·ṯay ū·nə·ḡî·nō·wṯ unegiNot uneginoTai ūnəḡînōwṯ ūnəḡinōwṯay
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Job 30:9
HEB: וְ֭עַתָּה נְגִינָתָ֣ם הָיִ֑יתִי וָאֱהִ֖י
NAS: I have become their taunt, I have even become
KJV: And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
INT: and now their taunt have become become

Psalm 4:1
HEB: לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינ֗וֹת מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
KJV: <on Neginoth, A Psalm
INT: Musician Neginoth A Psalm of David

Psalm 6:1
HEB: לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת עַֽל־ הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית
KJV: <on Neginoth upon Sheminith,
INT: Musician Neginoth upon Sheminith

Psalm 54:1
HEB: לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃
KJV: <on Neginoth, Maschil,
INT: Musician Neginoth Maschil David

Psalm 55:1
HEB: לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃
KJV: <on Neginoth, Maschil,
INT: Musician Neginoth Maschil David

Psalm 61:1
HEB: לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־ נְגִינַ֬ת לְדָוִֽד׃ שִׁמְעָ֣ה
KJV: <upon Neginah, [A Psalm] of David.>>
INT: Musician upon Neginah David Hear

Psalm 69:12
HEB: יֹ֣שְׁבֵי שָׁ֑עַר וּ֝נְגִינ֗וֹת שׁוֹתֵ֥י שֵׁכָֽר׃
NAS: talk about me, And I [am] the song of the drunkards.
KJV: speak against me; and I [was] the song of the drunkards.
INT: sit the gate and I the song assuredly strong drink

Psalm 76:1
HEB: לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֑ת מִזְמ֖וֹר לְאָסָ֣ף
KJV: <on Neginoth, A Psalm
INT: Musician Neginoth A Psalm of Asaph

Psalm 77:6
HEB: אֶֽזְכְּרָ֥ה נְגִינָתִ֗י בַּ֫לָּ֥יְלָה עִם־
NAS: I will remember my song in the night;
KJV: I call to remembrance my song in the night:
INT: will remember my song the night with

Isaiah 38:20
HEB: יְהוָ֖ה לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י נְנַגֵּ֛ן כָּל־
NAS: me; So we will play my songs on stringed instruments All
KJV: [was ready] to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments
INT: the LORD save my songs will play All

Lamentations 3:14
HEB: לְכָל־ עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־ הַיּֽוֹם׃
NAS: my people, Their [mocking] song all
KJV: to all my people; [and] their song all the day.
INT: to all my people Their song all the day

Lamentations 5:14
HEB: שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃
NAS: Young men from their music.
KJV: the young men from their musick.
INT: are gone Young their music

Habakkuk 3:19
HEB: יַדְרִכֵ֑נִי לַמְנַצֵּ֖חַ בִּנְגִינוֹתָֽי׃
NAS: For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
KJV: To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
INT: walk the choir my stringed

13 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5058
13 Occurrences


bin·ḡî·nō·wṯ — 5 Occ.
bin·ḡî·nō·w·ṯāy — 1 Occ.
min·nə·ḡî·nā·ṯām — 1 Occ.
nə·ḡî·naṯ — 1 Occ.
nə·ḡî·nā·ṯām — 2 Occ.
nə·ḡî·nā·ṯî — 1 Occ.
ū·nə·ḡî·nō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
ū·nə·ḡi·nō·w·ṯay — 1 Occ.

5057
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