ψάλλω G5567
to sing praise, make music — to praise God with voice or stringed instrument
Psallo originally meant to pluck or twang a string, and by extension to play a stringed instrument and sing to its accompaniment. In the Septuagint it consistently translates Hebrew zamar ('to make music in praise'). By New Testament times the emphasis has shifted to vocal praise, though the instrumental resonance never fully disappears. Paul pairs it with 'singing' in Ephesians 5:19 and commits to singing praise with both spirit and mind (1 Cor 14:15). James asks whether anyone is cheerful and directs them to 'sing praise' (Jas 5:13). The Spanish 'cantar salmos' and German 'lobsingen' both point to musical worship as the core sense.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To sing praises or make music to God, originally implying the plucking of strings but in NT usage primarily denoting vocal worship and psalm-singing. Paul quotes Psalm 18:49 declaring 'I will sing praise among the nations' (Rom 15:9), commits to singing with the spirit and with the mind (1 Cor 14:15), and exhorts believers to make melody in their hearts to the Lord (Eph 5:19). James prescribes it as the natural response to cheerfulness (Jas 5:13). All 5 occurrences center on doxological music directed toward God, as reflected in Spanish 'cantar salmos,' French 'chanter,' and German 'lobsingen.' 5×
AR["أُرَتِّلُ", "سَأُرَتِّلُ", "لِيُرَتِّل", "مُسَبِّحينَ"]·ben["গাইব", "গান-করব।", "গান-করুক", "বাজনা-করে"]·DE["lobsingen"]·EN["I-will-sing", "I-will-sing-praise", "let-sing-praise", "making-melody"]·FR["chanter", "lobsingen"]·heb["אֲזַמֵּר", "יְזַמֵּר", "מְזַמְּרִים"]·HI["गाऊँगा", "गाए", "बजअते-हुए"]·ID["Aku-akan-bernyanyi", "Biarlah-dia-bernyanyi-pujian;", "aku-akan-bernyanyi", "aku-akan-memuji.", "bermazmur"]·IT["cantare", "psalletō", "psallontes"]·jav["Kula-badhé-ngidung.", "kula-badhé-ngluhuraken", "mazmur", "nembanga;"]·KO["찬송하라;", "찬송하리라", "찬양하리라", "찬양하며"]·PT["Cantarei", "cantarei", "salmodiando", "salmodiarei."]·RU["буду-петь", "воспевающие", "пусть-поёт;"]·ES["cantaré", "cante-salmos", "salmodiando"]·SW["aimbe-sifa", "mkimsifu", "nitaimba", "nitaimba-zaburi."]·TR["-de-", "ilahi söyleyeceğim", "ilahi-söleyeceğim", "ilahi-söylesin"]·urd["سرود-کرتے-ہوئے", "گاؤں-گا", "گائے؛"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ψάλλω, future ψᾰλῶ LXX+NT: aorist ἔψηλα LXX+5th c.BC+:—pluck, pull, twitch, ψ. ἔθειραν pluck the hair, Refs 4th c.BC+ twang them, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκ κέραος ψ. βέλος send a shaft twanging from the bow, Refs; so μιλτοχαρὴς σχοῖνος ψαλλομένη a carpenter's red line, which is twitched and then suddenly let go, so as to leave a mark, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II mostly of the strings of musical instruments,…