Seven Types of Praise
Question
I learned a few years ago that there were 7 types of praise, todah, yadda, shabach, etc. Can you give me some more information of these.
Answer
Normally when someone refers to this they are seeking the following (from Strong's Hebrew Lexicon):
1.YADAH to worship with the extended hand. The giving of oneself in worship and adoration. To lift your hands unto the Lord. It carries the meaning of absolute surrender as a young child does to a parent - "pick me up, I'm all yours". Scriptures: Gen. 29:35, 2 Chron. 7:6, 20:21, Psalms 9:1, 28:7, Psalms 33:2, 42:5,11, 49:18, Isaiah 12:1
3034 yadah; a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027; literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands):
KJV-- cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful, -s, -sgiving).
to throw, to shoot, to cast
a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)
b) (Piel) to cast, to cast down, to throw down
c) (Hiphil)
1) to give thanks, to laud, praise
2) to confess, to confess (the name of God)
d) (Hithpael)
1) to confess (sin)
2) to give thanks
Yadah in practice - Lift my hands to Him and say how I am surrendering myself to Him. List the ways that I am surrendering to Him. Be diligent. Be disciplined. Be specific. Take the discipline and SAY to the Lord how I am surrendering to Him. With my hands uplifted - surrender unto my God - spirit, soul & body. Totally commit myself to my father.
2.TEHILLAH to sing, to laud. A spontaneous new song. Singing from a melody in your heart by adding words to it. This refers to a special kind of singing-it is singing unprepared, unrehearsed songs. Brings tremendous unity to the body of Christ. Singing straight to God. Can move into tehilah anytime. Singing it the second time would be ZAMAR. It is the praise that God inhabits (sits enthroned on)(Psalm 22:3) God manifests Himself in the mids of exuberant singing.
Scripture: Psalms 22:3, 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, 2 Chronicles 20:22
8416 tehillah; from 1984; laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn: KJV-- praise.
praise, a song or a hymn of praise
a) praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God)
b) the act of general or public praise
c) a praise-song (as a Hebrew title)
d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God)
e) renown, fame, glory
1) used of Damascus , God
2) an object of praise, a possessor of renown (figurative)
3.BARAK To kneel or to bow. To give reverence to God as an act of adoration. It implies to continual conscious giving place to God. Blessing the Lord, extolling virtue. There is a sense of kneeling and blessing God as an act of adoration in the word BARAK. Physical application - To bow, kneel or to do this with the intent in my heart that He is my KING and I yield to HIM. I am acknowledging Him as KING and GOD. SONG: BLESS THE LORD Scripture: Psalm 103 tells us how to bless the Lord and then goes on to enumerate those blessings: loving kindness, satisfaction redemption, honor, renewal. We bless the Lord by remembering all of these things.
1288 barak; a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):
KJV-- X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.
1) to bless, to kneel
a) (Qal)
1) to kneel
2) to bless
b) (Niphal) to be blessed, to bless oneself
c) (Piel) to bless
d) (Pual) to be blessed, to be adored
e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel
f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself
2) Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: to praise, to salute, to curse
4.HALAL
Scripture: 1 Chron. 16:4, 23:5,30, 25:3, 29:13, Neh. 12:24 (this word appears over 110 times in the OT)
1984 halal; a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify:
KJV - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feignself) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.
1) to shine
a) (Qal) to shine (figurative of God's favor)
b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
2) to praise, to boast, to be boastful
a) (Qal)
1) to be boastful
2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
b) (Piel)
1) to praise
2) to boast, to make a boast
c) (Pual) to be praised, to be made praiseworthy, to be commended, to be worthy of praise
d) (Hithpael) to boast, to glory, to make one's boast
e) (Poel) to make a fool of, to make into a fool
f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, to act like a madman
5.TOWDAH To give worship by the extension of the hand in adoration or agreeing with what has been done or will be. This word is common- ly found in connection with sacrifice-applying the giving of thanks or praise as a sacrifice before reception or manifestation. Thanking God for something that I don't have in the natural. Agreeing with His Word - faith in His Word. This form of praise goes in operation just because His Word is true. "Father, I thank YOU that YOUR WORD is TRUE. As we raise our hearts and hands in praise to the Lord, it involves a sacrifice, especially if one is very sick in body. The carnal mind would fight and ridicule this particular action, but there is great faith in TOWDAH as praise. The lifting of the hand symbolizes agreement. The right hand symbolizes my covenant with my my Father. As I go through the scriptures, God is seen extending His Right Hand to me. That's the covenant. When He extends His right hand to me, He's saying to me - ALL THAT I AM IS YOURS, and when I extend my right hand to Him, I am saying "All that I am is yours and I agree with what You're saying. It is the sacrifice that God honors by His performing of miracles.
The ATTITUDE for TOWDAH is: I'm thanking God. I'm agreeing with God that it is as He says. I don't care what it looks like. I'm agreeing with what His Word says. Example: Father, I thank You that I am healed.
Scripture: Psalm 42:4, 50:23, Jer. 17:26
8426 towdah; from 3034; properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers: KJV-- confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks (-giving, offering).
confession, praise, thanksgiving
a) give praise to God
b) thanksgiving in songs of liturgical worship, a hymn of praise
c) a thanksgiving choir or a procession or a line or a company
d) a thank-offering, a sacrifice of thanksgiving
e) confession
6.ZAMAR To sing with instruments. To make music accompanied by the voice. One of the musical verbs for praise in the book of psalms. It carries the idea of making music in praise to God as in Psalm 92:1. The word ZAMAR also means to touch the strings, and refers to praise that involves instrumental worship as in Psalm 150. The one word is usually translated "sing praises".
2167 zamar; a primitive root [perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea of striking with the fingers]; properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music: KJV-- give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
to sing, to sing praise, to make music; (Piel)
1) to make music, to sing
2) to play a musical instrument
7. SHABACH to address in a loud tone, a loud adoration, a shout! Proclaim with a loud voice, unashamed, the GLORY, TRIUMPH, POWER, MERCY, LOVE OF GOD. This word implies that testimony is praise. The phrase "shout unto the Lord" can be understood as the action of SHABACH. It is not just being loud. You should have the attitude of putting your whole being into it, an attitude of being totally uninhibited. Scripture: Psalm 117:1, 63:3-4
7623 shabach; a primitive root; properly, to address in a loud tone, i.e. (specifically) loud; figuratively, to pacify (as if by words): KJV-- commend, glory, keep in, praise, still, triumph.
1) to soothe, to still, to stroke
a) (Piel) to soothe, to still
b) (Hiphil) stilling (participle)
2) to laud, to praise, to commend
a) (Piel)
1) to laud, to praise (God)
2) to commend, to congratulate (the dead)
b) (Hithpael) to boast
1.YADAH to worship with the extended hand. The giving of oneself in worship and adoration. To lift your hands unto the Lord. It carries the meaning of absolute surrender as a young child does to a parent - "pick me up, I'm all yours". Scriptures: Gen. 29:35, 2 Chron. 7:6, 20:21, Psalms 9:1, 28:7, Psalms 33:2, 42:5,11, 49:18, Isaiah 12:1
3034 yadah; a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027; literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands):
KJV-- cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful, -s, -sgiving).
to throw, to shoot, to cast
a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)
b) (Piel) to cast, to cast down, to throw down
c) (Hiphil)
1) to give thanks, to laud, praise
2) to confess, to confess (the name of God)
d) (Hithpael)
1) to confess (sin)
2) to give thanks
Yadah in practice - Lift my hands to Him and say how I am surrendering myself to Him. List the ways that I am surrendering to Him. Be diligent. Be disciplined. Be specific. Take the discipline and SAY to the Lord how I am surrendering to Him. With my hands uplifted - surrender unto my God - spirit, soul & body. Totally commit myself to my father.
2.TEHILLAH to sing, to laud. A spontaneous new song. Singing from a melody in your heart by adding words to it. This refers to a special kind of singing-it is singing unprepared, unrehearsed songs. Brings tremendous unity to the body of Christ. Singing straight to God. Can move into tehilah anytime. Singing it the second time would be ZAMAR. It is the praise that God inhabits (sits enthroned on)(Psalm 22:3) God manifests Himself in the mids of exuberant singing.
Scripture: Psalms 22:3, 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, 2 Chronicles 20:22
8416 tehillah; from 1984; laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn: KJV-- praise.
praise, a song or a hymn of praise
a) praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God)
b) the act of general or public praise
c) a praise-song (as a Hebrew title)
d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God)
e) renown, fame, glory
1) used of Damascus , God
2) an object of praise, a possessor of renown (figurative)
3.BARAK To kneel or to bow. To give reverence to God as an act of adoration. It implies to continual conscious giving place to God. Blessing the Lord, extolling virtue. There is a sense of kneeling and blessing God as an act of adoration in the word BARAK. Physical application - To bow, kneel or to do this with the intent in my heart that He is my KING and I yield to HIM. I am acknowledging Him as KING and GOD. SONG: BLESS THE LORD Scripture: Psalm 103 tells us how to bless the Lord and then goes on to enumerate those blessings: loving kindness, satisfaction redemption, honor, renewal. We bless the Lord by remembering all of these things.
1288 barak; a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):
KJV-- X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.
1) to bless, to kneel
a) (Qal)
1) to kneel
2) to bless
b) (Niphal) to be blessed, to bless oneself
c) (Piel) to bless
d) (Pual) to be blessed, to be adored
e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel
f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself
2) Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: to praise, to salute, to curse
4.HALAL
Scripture: 1 Chron. 16:4, 23:5,30, 25:3, 29:13, Neh. 12:24 (this word appears over 110 times in the OT)
1984 halal; a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify:
KJV - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feignself) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.
1) to shine
a) (Qal) to shine (figurative of God's favor)
b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
2) to praise, to boast, to be boastful
a) (Qal)
1) to be boastful
2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
b) (Piel)
1) to praise
2) to boast, to make a boast
c) (Pual) to be praised, to be made praiseworthy, to be commended, to be worthy of praise
d) (Hithpael) to boast, to glory, to make one's boast
e) (Poel) to make a fool of, to make into a fool
f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, to act like a madman
5.TOWDAH To give worship by the extension of the hand in adoration or agreeing with what has been done or will be. This word is common- ly found in connection with sacrifice-applying the giving of thanks or praise as a sacrifice before reception or manifestation. Thanking God for something that I don't have in the natural. Agreeing with His Word - faith in His Word. This form of praise goes in operation just because His Word is true. "Father, I thank YOU that YOUR WORD is TRUE. As we raise our hearts and hands in praise to the Lord, it involves a sacrifice, especially if one is very sick in body. The carnal mind would fight and ridicule this particular action, but there is great faith in TOWDAH as praise. The lifting of the hand symbolizes agreement. The right hand symbolizes my covenant with my my Father. As I go through the scriptures, God is seen extending His Right Hand to me. That's the covenant. When He extends His right hand to me, He's saying to me - ALL THAT I AM IS YOURS, and when I extend my right hand to Him, I am saying "All that I am is yours and I agree with what You're saying. It is the sacrifice that God honors by His performing of miracles.
The ATTITUDE for TOWDAH is: I'm thanking God. I'm agreeing with God that it is as He says. I don't care what it looks like. I'm agreeing with what His Word says. Example: Father, I thank You that I am healed.
Scripture: Psalm 42:4, 50:23, Jer. 17:26
8426 towdah; from 3034; properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers: KJV-- confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks (-giving, offering).
confession, praise, thanksgiving
a) give praise to God
b) thanksgiving in songs of liturgical worship, a hymn of praise
c) a thanksgiving choir or a procession or a line or a company
d) a thank-offering, a sacrifice of thanksgiving
e) confession
6.ZAMAR To sing with instruments. To make music accompanied by the voice. One of the musical verbs for praise in the book of psalms. It carries the idea of making music in praise to God as in Psalm 92:1. The word ZAMAR also means to touch the strings, and refers to praise that involves instrumental worship as in Psalm 150. The one word is usually translated "sing praises".
2167 zamar; a primitive root [perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea of striking with the fingers]; properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music: KJV-- give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
to sing, to sing praise, to make music; (Piel)
1) to make music, to sing
2) to play a musical instrument
7. SHABACH to address in a loud tone, a loud adoration, a shout! Proclaim with a loud voice, unashamed, the GLORY, TRIUMPH, POWER, MERCY, LOVE OF GOD. This word implies that testimony is praise. The phrase "shout unto the Lord" can be understood as the action of SHABACH. It is not just being loud. You should have the attitude of putting your whole being into it, an attitude of being totally uninhibited. Scripture: Psalm 117:1, 63:3-4
7623 shabach; a primitive root; properly, to address in a loud tone, i.e. (specifically) loud; figuratively, to pacify (as if by words): KJV-- commend, glory, keep in, praise, still, triumph.
1) to soothe, to still, to stroke
a) (Piel) to soothe, to still
b) (Hiphil) stilling (participle)
2) to laud, to praise, to commend
a) (Piel)
1) to laud, to praise (God)
2) to commend, to congratulate (the dead)
b) (Hithpael) to boast
Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the Theological Editor at Third Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill).