1 Chronicles 16:9 — Word Study
WLCשִׁ֤ירוּ לוֹ֙ זַמְּרוּ־ ל֔וֹ שִׂ֖יחוּ בְּכָל־ נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו׃
BSASingshîyr [with joy, in praise] sing praiseszâmar [psalms, songs of worship] tellsîyach [meditate on, talk about] of allkôl [everything, the entirety] His wonderspâlâʼ [marvellous works, miraculous deeds]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שִׁ֤ירוּ | sing | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| לוֹ֙ | to him | Preposition, suffix |
| זַמְּרוּ־ | sing praises | Verb, Piel, imperative second person masculine plural |
| ל֔וֹ | to him | Preposition, suffix |
| שִׂ֖יחוּ | tell | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| בְּכָל־ | in all | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו׃ | wonders his | Verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural common, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders. |
| KJV | Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. |
| ASV | Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; Talk ye of all his marvellous works. |
| YLT | Sing ye to Him, sing psalms to Him, Meditate on all His wonders. |
| WEB | Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works. |
| BBE | Let your voice be sounded in songs and melody; let all your thoughts be of the wonder of his works. |
Where they part company is in the specifics of the verbs used for singing and telling — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb with an imperative structure that emphasizes action in worship.



4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbשִׁיר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Chronicles 16:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Call to Worshipgenerated
1 Chronicles 16:9 invites the people to express their joy through song and to share the wonders of God. This verse is part of a larger passage that emphasizes giving thanks and proclaiming God's deeds, encouraging a communal response of worship and celebration. The surrounding verses reinforce the importance of recognizing God's greatness and seeking Him.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 95:1–2 | Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation! |
| 2 | Psalm 96:1–2 | Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. |
| 3 | Psalm 98:1–4 | Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory. |
| 4 | Malachi 3:16 | At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name. |
| 5 | Matthew 26:30 | And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שִׁיר, Shi.rugenerated
The verb שִׁיר (shi.r) means 'to sing' and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible to describe the act of singing, especially in praise of God. It is an imperative form, calling the people to actively engage in worship through song.
This word is often associated with joyful expressions of faith, such as when the Israelites sang after their deliverance from Egypt. The act of singing is a significant aspect of worship, reflecting both personal and communal devotion.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses sing and tell to convey the actions of worship.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb שִׁ֤ירוּ governs the structure, calling the people to sing. The verse contains two additional verbs, זַמְּרוּ־ and שִׂ֖יחוּ, which further elaborate on the actions of praising and telling. This structure emphasizes a series of imperatives that encourage active participation in worship.
The Hebrew word order places the verbs first, highlighting the call to action before the objects of those actions, which are the praises and wonders of God.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שִׁירוּ as ᾄσατε (asate), which also means 'sing.' This choice reflects a direct continuation of the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the emphasis on joyful singing.
The Greek rendering captures the essence of the Hebrew text, showing a consistent understanding of the call to worship through song.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 16:9 encourages the people to sing joyfully to God and to share about all His wonderful deeds. This call to worship highlights the importance of praising God and recognizing His marvelous works in our lives.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To 'sing praises' means to express joy and gratitude through music and song, acknowledging God's greatness and His deeds.
Telling of God's wonders helps to remind ourselves and others of His faithfulness and power, encouraging faith and worship.
You can sing hymns, worship songs, or even create your own songs of praise as a way to express your love for God.
Examples of God's wonders include His creation, miracles in the Bible, and personal experiences of His faithfulness in our lives.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I actively participate in worship through singing?
- What are some specific wonders of God that I can share with others?
- In what ways can I encourage others to praise God in their lives?
- How does singing affect my relationship with God and my community?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 16:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryGive thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 16 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Chronicles 16:9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.Ver. 9-11], &c.
Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 16 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) Sing psalms.—The word implies a musical accompaniment. Talk ye.—A third term for singing. Chant ye.His wondrous works.—His wonders, or miracles. The word means things separate, distinct, and so out of the common (Exodus 3:20).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 16 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. sing psalms] R.V. sing praises. talk you] R.V. mg. Meditate ye. Meditation leads to fresh proclamation. wondrous works] R.V. marvellous works (cp. 1 Chronicles 16:12), i.e. works beyond man’s expectation; cp. Genesis 18:14, Is anything too hard (wonderful, R.V. mg.) for the Lord?
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 16 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.
Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.
Sing to him! Make music to him! Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
Tyndale line
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; Talk ye of all his marvellous works.
Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; talk ye of all his marvelous works.
Sing to him, sing psalms to him, talk ye of all his wonderous works.
Sing vnto him, sing praise vnto him, and talke of all his wonderfull workes.
Strictly literal
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him; Meditate upon all his wondrous works.
Sing ye to Him, sing psalms to Him, Meditate on all His wonders.
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him, || Meditate on all His wonders.
Sing unto him, sing praises unto him: speak of all his wonderful works.
Sing to him, sing praises to him; speak of all his marvelous deeds.
From the Latin
Sing to him, yea, sing praises to him: and relate all his wondrous works.
Simplified
Sing to him, sing his praises; tell everyone the great things he's done!
Let your voice be sounded in songs and melody; let all your thoughts be of the wonder of his works.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six of the seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across these texts.
שִׁ֤ירוּ לוֹ֙ זַמְּרוּ־ ל֔וֹ שִׂ֖יחוּ בְּכָל־ נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Chronicles 16:9
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שִׁיר (shiyr) means 'to sing' and is a denominative verb derived from a primitive root. It covers various forms of singing, including participles for singers and songstresses. The entries indicate its use in different verbal stems, such as Qal and Polel, and note its appearance in contexts like 1 Samuel 18:6.
[שִׁיר] 86 vb. sing (denom.)
Qal 49 sing
Pō‛l. 36 sing
Hoph. be sung
base
H7891 שִׁיר sing (denom.)
7891 shiyr sheer
or (the original form) shuwr (1 Sam. 18:6) {shoor}; a
primitive root (identical with 7788 through the idea of
strolling minstrelsy); to sing:--behold (by mistake for
7789), sing(-er, -ing man, - ing woman).
see HEBREW for 07788
see HEBREW for 07789
שִׁיר (shir) — to sing.
1) to sing
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sing
1a2) singer, songstresses (participle)
1b) (Polel)
1b1) to sing
1b2) singer, songstress (participle)
1c) (Hophal) to be sung
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
וֹ (o) — him.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3ms
זָמַר (zamar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sing or make music, particularly in praise of God. It is derived from a root that suggests touching the strings of a musical instrument. The word covers actions like singing, playing instruments, and celebrating through music. The Piel form specifically emphasizes making music in worship.
[זמר] vb. only Pi. make music in praise of God
base
H2167 זמר only Pi. make music in praise of God
2167 zamar zaw-mar'
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:--give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
see HEBREW for 02168
זָמַר (za.mar) — to sing.
1) to sing, sing praise, make music
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to make music, sing
1a2) to play a musical instrument
Aramaic equivalent: ze.mar (זְמָר "music" H2170)
V-Piel-Impv-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine pluralHVpv2mp
וֹ (o) — him.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3ms
שִׂיחַ (siyach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to muse or complain, encompassing a range of actions such as talking, singing, and meditating. It can imply conversing with oneself or aloud, and includes nuances of pondering and declaring thoughts. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts of communication and reflection.
שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk (of)
Qal
complain
muse
talk (about), sing (of)
talk (with)
Pôl‛el meditate, consider
base
H7878 שִׂיחַ vb. denom. muse, complain, poet. talk of
7878 siyach see'-akh
a primitive root; to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse
(with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter:--
commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk
(with).
שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — to muse.
1) to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to complain
1a2) to muse, meditate upon, study, ponder
1a3) to talk, sing, speak
1b) (Polel) to meditate, consider, put forth thoughts
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
See TALE.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
The Hebrew word פָּלָא (pala') is a verb that conveys the idea of being extraordinary or wonderful. It can describe actions that are difficult to perform or understand, as well as marvelous acts of God, particularly in judgment and redemption. The word can also refer to making special offerings or showing oneself in a marvelous way.
[פָּלָא] 71 vb. denom. Niph. etc., be surpassing, extraordinary
Niph.
be beyond one's power, difficult to do
be difficult to understand
be extraordinary, wonderful
as subst., marvellous things
= wonderful acts of י׳ in judgement and redemption
Pi. make a special votive offering
Hiph.
do a hard or difficult thing
make wonderful, do wondrously
of God working wonders in doing
Hithp. thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me
base
H6381 פָּלָא vb. denom. Niph. etc., be surpassing, extraordinary . . be beyond one's power, difficult to do
. be difficult to understand
. . be extraordinary, wonderful
. as subst., marvellous things
. = wonderful acts of י׳ in judgement and redemption
. make a special votive offering
. . do a hard or difficult thing
. make wonderful, do wondrously
. of God working wonders in doing
. thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me
6381 pala' paw-law'
a primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e.
distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be
(causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful:--accomplish,
(arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do,
do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles,
perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make)
wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things,
works, -ly).
פָּלָא (pa.la) — to wonder.
1) to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be beyond one's power, be difficult to do
1a2) to be difficult to understand
1a3) to be wonderful, be extraordinary
1a3a) marvellous (participle)
1b) (Piel) to separate (an offering)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to do extraordinary or hard or difficult thing
1c2) to make wonderful, do wondrously
1d) (Hithpael) to show oneself wonderful or marvellous
V-Niphal | Suff — Verb niphal participle (active) feminine plural common · suffixHVNrfpc/Sp3ms
