Hebrew Words For Song

This month at the Worship Arts Conservatory, we are studying the prophetic song – here are the seven Hebrew words for song found in the Old Testament:

• The word that is used concerning the ministry and training of the prophetic song is massâ — mas-saw; (Strongs 4853 from Strongs 5375.) Massâ has a three-fold meaning:

                        *  A prophetic song

                        *  A burden (prophetic) lifted up or carried

                        *  The lifting of the ark

The prophetic song flowed out of the prophetic “burden” (Nah. 1:1; Hab. 1:1). Prophecy is spoken of here as a burden. It is unlike any other burden, as this is the burden of the Lord. The word that the Lord gives us, whether spoken or sung, often feels like the weight of His hand upon our lives. God lays His word upon hearts in this way. In 1 Chron. 15:22, 27, Chenaniah is called the music master, or chief of the Levites. The Hebrew word for this is hasar hammassâ, meaning: the chief, or prince of bearing the sung burden. This prophetic burden comes upon our lives as the result of prayer and intercession. Those with a true prophetic ministry will experience this burden from time to time, and often the prophetic song flows out of such a burden.

In Old Testament worship, the time for singing the prophetic song came as the singers took their place around the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant is representative of the presence of God. As we sing the prophetic song, there should be a sense that the presence of the Lord is being lifted in the midst of the congregation.

Other Hebrew words for song. Most of these refer to obviously learned songs or tunes, sacred or secular:

           

            Zâmîr zaw-meer (Strongs 2158, from 2167)

Zâmîr means: song and is generally used in the plural. e.g. 2 Sam. 23:1. David is called the sweet psalmist of Israel, or Israel’s Singer of Songs. This word is also used to describe the songs in the night that Job spoke of (Job 35:10). The “Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament” (558b) tells us that this word means: to sing or play an instrument with the focus being on praising the Lord. The Psalms instruct us to sing or play praises to the Lord for as long as we live (Ps. 104:33; 146:2). This emphasis on sacred song gives us understanding of the importance of the roll of the prophetic song in the life of every Believer.

            Zimrâth         zim-rawth  (Strongs 2176, from 2167)

Zimrâth describes a song or musical piece to be accompanied by an instrument. The verb is used in such as way as to imply that the prophetic song is not always sung but can be instrumental and is directly linked with the ten-stringed lyre (Ps. 33:2; 144:9), the harp (Ps. 98:5) and the tambourine (Ps. 149:3). Three times out of seven this word is used in connection with either the harp or tambourine. It is also used whenever the Lord is described as our strength and song. Ex. 15:2; Ps. 118:14; Isa. 12:2.

            Negîynâh       neg-ee-naw  (Strongs 5058)

Negîynâh means: music of stringed instruments, song, taught song, a poem set to music. It is also the title of Psalm 61 stating that stringed instruments were to be used. The noun refers to songs in the night as in Ps. 77:6 and joyful music in Lam. 5:14.

            Rôn     rone (Strongs 7438 from 7442)

Rôn means: a shout or ringing cry, to triumph, sing or shout for joy. This word is a derivative of the Hebrew word, rânan, signifying a tremulous, creaking sound as of a pole in the wind, also a roaring sound such as a torrent. It is the root of the word Rûn -meaning to overcome, and its verbal noun can be found over 50 times in the Old Testament, occurring most frequently in poetic passages of Isaiah and the Psalms. The word is used 14 times in Isaiah, telling us of Israel's celebrations of holy joy with shouting. It is also used in describing the song of deliverance (Ps. 32:7) and as a cry for help in Lamentations 2:19.       

            Shîyrâr          shee-raw  (Strongs 7892 from 7891)

Shîyrâr means: a song or psalm. It contains the idea of a strolling minstrel. This is the most commonly used word for “song” in the Bible, and is probably the oldest word in Hebrew for "song". Some examples of its use are: Ex. 15:1; Num. 21:17; Deut. 31:19, 21-22, 30; Jud. 5:12; Pss. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; Song of Sol. 1:1; Isa. 26:1. Once again, the number of times this word is used would seem to indicate a strong prevalence within the Israelite culture for song in this form. Its spiritual connotation is found in conjunction with a lament, a song of thanksgiving, praise or petition to the Lord or with a song of ascent or degrees. It is thought to be used occasionally in secular terms as in the songs of the harlot in Isaiah 23:16.

If you are on a worship team, or a worship leader – consider writing your own prophetic songs - based on each of these seven song forms form the Old Testament.