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Psalms 115:17 — Word Study

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WLCלֹ֣א הַ֭מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ־ יָ֑הּ וְ֝לֹ֗א כָּל־ יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה׃

BSAIt is notlôʼ [absence of life or existence] the deadmûwth [those who have gone down into the underworld, to die] who praisehâlal [to shine, celebrate, or make a show] the LORDYâhh [Jah, the shortened form of the divine name] norlôʼ anykôl [none, no one] who descendyârad [to go down, fall] into silencedûwmâh [stillness, quiet, or the place of death]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 115
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (du.Mah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 115:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist declares that the dead cannot praise the LORD, nor can anyone who descends into silence.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on the nature of praise and existence.
Where we areIn Psalm 115, a meditation on God's sovereignty and the limits of human existence.
The hard wordיְהַֽלְלוּ
Take awayPraise is an act of the living, not the dead.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbהָלַל The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 — Psalms 115:17

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 — The Sovereignty of Godgenerated

15May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
16The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to mankind.
17It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.
18But it is we who will bless the LORD, both now and forevermore. Hallelujah!

Psalm 115:17 emphasizes the distinction between the living and the dead in their ability to praise the LORD. The preceding verses highlight God's authority over creation and the futility of idols, culminating in the assertion that true praise can only come from those who are alive and aware of His greatness. This theme resonates throughout the psalm, reminding readers of the importance of worship in the context of life and existence.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 6:5For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?
2Psalm 30:9“What gain is there in my bloodshed, in my descent to the Pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?
3Psalm 88:10–12Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah
4Isaiah 38:18–19For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
5Psalm 31:17O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יְהַֽלְלוּ, ye.ha.lu-generated

The verb הָלַל (halal) means 'to praise' and is often associated with shining or celebrating. In this context, it indicates an active expression of worship that is not possible for the dead.

The form here, יְהַֽלְלוּ, is in the imperfect tense, suggesting an ongoing or future action. This highlights that praise is an essential part of the living experience and cannot be performed by those who have passed away.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses, with the finite verb יְהַֽלְלוּ governing the subject הַ֭מֵּתִים and the phrase כָּל־ יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה following as a parallel structure. This structure emphasizes the contrast between the living who can praise and the dead who cannot.

The use of the conjunction וְ֝לֹ֗א connects the two clauses, reinforcing the negation of praise from both the dead and those who descend into silence.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word used is νεκροὶ (nekroi), which translates as 'the dead.' This choice emphasizes the finality of death and its separation from the act of praise.

The Greek word αἰνέσουσίν (ainēsousin) is used for 'they will praise,' aligning with the Hebrew meaning but also reflecting the broader Greek understanding of praise.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 115:17 states that the dead cannot praise the LORD, nor can anyone who goes down into silence. This verse highlights the idea that only the living can actively worship God, emphasizing the importance of life in the context of praise.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the dead cannot praise the LORD?

This indicates that praise is an expression of life and awareness, which the dead do not possess, as seen in other verses like Psalm 6:5.

Why is silence mentioned in this verse?

Silence symbolizes the state of death or inactivity, reinforcing the idea that praise cannot occur in that condition.

How does this verse relate to the themes of the entire psalm?

The psalm contrasts the living God with lifeless idols, emphasizing that true worship and praise are reserved for the living who recognize God's sovereignty.

What is the significance of the word 'Yah' in this context?

The term 'Yah' represents a shortened form of the divine name, indicating a close and personal relationship with God, which the living can express through praise.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I actively praise God in my life today?
  2. How does understanding the distinction between the living and the dead influence my perspective on worship?
  3. What does it mean to me that praise is an act reserved for the living?
  4. How can I encourage others to recognize the importance of worship in their lives?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early church fathers referenced this psalm to discuss the nature of praise and the relationship between life and worship.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 115 354–430
...But nevertheless since they derive the truth and richness of wisdom, not from man nor through man, but through God Himself, they have received little ones who shall be heaven, that they may know that they are heaven of heaven;
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 115 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 115:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The dead praise not the Lord,.... Not the dead in sin; such as the makers of idols, and those that trust in them, who are like unto them; men must be made spiritually alive, ere they can show forth

Read John Gill on Psalms 115 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 115 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The dead; such as we shall suddenly be, if thou dost not succour us. Into silence; into the place of silence, the grave.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 115 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.Ver. 17. The dead praise not] Therefore be active for God while we are upon earth; where for this he giveth us life and livelihood. See Psalms 6:6.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 115 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17, 18) The connection of these verses with the rest of the psalm is far from plain. Why the psalmist should suddenly be struck with the dreadful thought that death broke the covenant relationship, and silenced prayer and praise, is not easy to see. Was the psalm first chanted after some victory? and was this suggested by the sight of the slain, who, though they had helped to win the triumph, could yet have no share in the praises that were ascending to Jehovah?

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 115 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 17. The dead praise not the Lord] המתים hammethim, those dead men who worshipped as gods dumb idols, dying in their sins, worship not Jehovah; nor can any of those who go down into silence praise thee: earth is the place in which to praise the Lord for his mercies, and get a preparation for his glory.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 115 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. From heaven the poet passes to earth, and from earth to Sheol, which here, as in Psalms 94:17, is termed ‘silence.’ The dead raise no Hallelujahs; they are cut off from communion with God and from the power of rendering Him service of lip and life. For this gloomy view of the state of the dead cp. Psalms 6:5; Psalms 30:9; Psalms 88:4-5; Psalms 88:10-12; Isaiah 38:11; Isaiah 38:18; and many passages in Job, e.g. Job 7:9; Job 10:21 ff.; Job 10:14 : and see Introd. pp. xciii ff. The verse is partly a stimulus to employ life rightly; partly (in effect) a plea, for if Jehovah suffers his people to perish, He will lose their praises.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 115 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The dead praise not the Lord - The meaning of this is, that as those who are dead cannot praise God, or cannot worship him, this should be done while we are in the land of the living.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 115 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The dead don’t praise Yah, nor any who go down into silence,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any of those who descend into the silence of death.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The dead praise not Jehovah, Neither any that go down into silence;

RVARevised Version, American1894

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The dead prayse not the Lord, neither any that goe downe into the place of silence.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The dead praise not Jah, neither any that go down into silence;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The dead praise not Jah, Nor any going down to silence.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The dead do not praise YAH, || Nor any going down to silence.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Not the dead can praise the Lord, nor all those that go down into the silence [of death].

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The dead do not praise Yahweh, nor do any who go down into silence;

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The dead do not praise the Lord, those who have gone down into the silence of the grave.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The dead do not give praise to the Lord; or those who go down to the underworld.

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.

clauseclauseadverbialלֹ֣אnotnoun phrase · subjectהַ֭the.deadמֵּתִים[people]verbיְהַֽלְלוּthey.will.praiseobjectיָ֑הּYahwehוְ֝andclauseadverbialלֹ֗אnotnoun phrase · subjectכָּלallnoun phraseיֹרְדֵ֥י[those.who].go.downדוּמָֽהof.silence

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states, 'לֹ֣א הַ֭מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ־ יָ֑הּ וְ֝לֹ֗א כָּל־ יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה׃' which translates to 'It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.' The Septuagint aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, matching all eight words, though it presents them in a different order. The Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically 11Q8 and 4Q87, also reflect the same sentiment as the Masoretic Text, although they contain some words that are either partially restored or supplied by an editor. Overall, the main agreement across these ancient witnesses is that the dead do not praise the LORD, affirming the message of the Masoretic Text.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

לֹ֣א הַ֭מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ־ יָ֑הּ וְ֝לֹ֗א כָּל־ יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לֹ֣אοὐξהַ֭מֵּתִיםνεκροὶיְהַֽלְלוּ־αἰνέσουσίνיָ֑הּκύριεוְ֝לֹ֗אοὐδὲכָּל־πάντεςיֹרְדֵ֥יκαταβαίνοντεςדוּמָֽה׃ᾅδου

8 of the 8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q8a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[לוא] [המתים] [יהללו] [יה] ולוא [כול] [יורדי] [דומה]

1 word on the leather — 7 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q87a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

לוא מתים יהללו [יה] [ולוא] [כול] [יורדי] [דומה]

2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Psalms 115:17לֹאnotnotלֹאמוּתthe deadthe deadמוּתהָלַלthey will pthey will praisהָלַליָהּYahwehYahwehיָהּלֹאand notand notלֹאכֹּלallallכֹּליָרַד[those who][those who] go יָרַדדּוּמָהsilencesilenceדּוּמָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַליהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהדָּמָהto ceaseto ceaseדָּמָהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַריָהּLORDLORDיָהּזִמְרָהsongsongזִמְרָההָלַלto shineto shineהָלַלעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: Sheolשְׁאוֹלבּוֹרpitpitבּוֹר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 115:17

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.

not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
לֹ֣אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
absence of life or existence
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
הַ֭מֵּתִיםHa.me.tim the dead H4191 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
840× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Amplified meaning
those who have gone down into the underworld, to die
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

1) to die, kill, have one executed

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to die

1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death

1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)

1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)

1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch

1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be killed, be put to death

1d1a) to die prematurely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural
HTd/Vqrmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ded (muth; nekros): Used in several senses:

(1) as a substantive, denoting the body deprived of life, as when Abraham speaks of burying his dead (Ge 23);

(2) as a collective noun including all those that have passed away from life (as Re 20:12). In several passages dead in this sense is used in contrast to the quick or living (as Nu 16:48). This collective mode of expression is used when resurrection is described as "rising from the dead";

(3) as an adjective, coupled with body, carcass or man, as De 14:8 the King James Version;

(4) most frequently it is used as a complement of the verb "to be," referring to the condition of being deceased or the period of death, e. g. 2Sa…

not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
יְהַֽלְלוּ־ye.ha.lu- they will praise H1984 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine plural
165× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To be foolish means to act wildly or make a show, like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:29. It can also mean to celebrate or boast, as in Psalm 38:5.
Amplified meaning
to shine, celebrate, or make a show
Tyndale gloss
to shine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָלַל (halal) is a primitive root that encompasses meanings related to shining, boasting, and foolishness. It can signify to praise or celebrate, often in a clamorously foolish manner, and includes the idea of making a boast or being made a fool of. The entries indicate a range of uses, from expressing God's favor to acting madly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[הָלַל] vb. shine

Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.

Hiph. flash forth light

base

[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise

Qal be boastful

Pi.

praise man or woman

usually praise י׳

appar. boast, make one’s boast

Pu. be praised

Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast

Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of

Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1984a הָלַל shine H1984b הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise H1984c הָלַל be boastful, Pi. praise .be boastful

. . praise man or woman

. usually praise י׳

. appar. boast, make one’s boast

. be praised

. glory, boast, make one’s boast

.make into a fool, make a fool of

.of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

. act madly, or like a madman

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1984 halal haw-lal'

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:--(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend,

(deal, make), fool(- ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make,

feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy

of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to shine.

1) to shine

1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)

1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: praise.

: praise

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

1d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to be foolish.

1) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool

1f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

הָלַל (ha.lal) — to boast: boast.

: boast

1) to praise, boast, be boastful

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be boastful

1a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to praise

1b2) to boast, make a boast

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVpi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

praz (tehillah, "psalm," "praise," todhah, "confession" "thanksgiving," shabhach, "to praise" "glorify," zamar, yadhah, "to stretch out the hand," "confess"; aineo, epaineo, (epainos):

1. Its Meaning:

The word comes from the Latin pretium, "price," or "value," and may be defined generally as an ascription of value or worth. Praise may be bestowed upon unworthy objects or from improper motives, but true praise consists in a sincere acknowledgment of a real conviction of worth. Its type may be seen in the representation given in the Apocalypse of the adoration of God and of the Lamb, which is inspired by a sense of their worthiness to be adored (Re 4:11; 5:12).

2. With Man as Its Object:

Man may be the object of praise, and may receive it either from God or from his fellow-men. In the former case (

→ Song of Moses, after the passage through the Red Sea Ex 15:1-19

→ Of Miriam Ex 15:21

→ Of Deborah, after defeating the Canaanites Jud 5

→ Of Hannah 1Sa 2:1-10

→ Of David

Celebrating his deliverance from the hand of Saul 2Sa 22

On bringing the ark of the covenant to Zion 1Ch 16:8-36

At the close of his reign 1Ch 29:10-19

→ The chorus when Solomon brought the ark of the covenant into the temple 2Ch 5:13

→ Psalms of, for God' s goodness to Israel Ps 46; 48; 65; 66; 68; 76; 81; 85; 98; 105; 124; 126; 129; 135; 136

→ See the Scriptures below

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- God is worthy of

2Sa 22:4

- Christ is worthy of

Re 5:12

- God is glorified by

Ps 22:23; 50:23

- Offered to Christ

Joh 12:13

- Acceptable through Christ

Heb 13:15

- IS DUE TO GOD ON ACCOUNT OF

. His majesty

Ps 96:1,6; Isa 24:14

. His glory

Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12

. His excellency

Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13

. His greatness

not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
יָ֑הּYah Yahweh H3050 Noun proper masculine
50× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jah is a shortened form of the name LORD, used in many compounds, such as names ending in -iah or -jah. It appears in the Bible as a way to refer to God.
Amplified meaning
Jah, the shortened form of the divine name
Tyndale gloss
LORD
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָהּ (Yahh) is a shortened form of יהוה (YHWH), meaning 'LORD.' It appears in early Hebrew poetry and is often found in names ending with '-iah' or '-jah.' The entries confirm its use as a sacred name, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָהּ 60 n.pr.dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3050 יָהּ n. pr. dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3050 Yahh yaw

contraction for 3068, and meaning the same; Jah, the sacred

name:--Jah, the Lord, most vehement. Compare names in "-iah,"

"- jah."

see HEBREW for 03068

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָהּ (yah) — LORD.

A shortened form of the name ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

used in many compounds as the letters 'Je' or 'jah'

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
וְ֝לֹ֗אve.Lo' and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
none, no one
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
יֹרְדֵ֥יyo.re.Dei [those who] go down of H3381 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
to go down, fall
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend

Qal 306

come or go down

go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

from Jerusalem

from altar

go down

= sink, in water

go down to She’ôl

fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

= be prostrated

of divine manifestations: descend

of inanimate things

Hiph.

cause to come or go down

bring down

send down rain = cause to flow down

= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

bring down to She’ôl

take down (from cart)

let down

Hoph.

be brought down

be taken down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down

. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

. from Jerusalem

. from altar

. go down

. = sink, in water

. go down to She’ôl

. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

. = be prostrated

. of divine manifestations: descend

. of inanimate things

. . cause to come or go down . bring down

. send down rain = cause to flow down

. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

. bring down to She’ôl

. take down (from cart)

. let down

. . be brought down

. be taken down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3381 yarad yaw-rad'

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or

conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,

the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to

bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,

bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,

fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X

indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,

let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.

1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come down

1a2) to sink

1a3) to be prostrated

1a4) to come down (of revelation)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to bring down

1b2) to send down

1b3) to take down

1b4) to lay prostrate

1b5) to let down

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought down

1c2) to be taken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural common
HVqrmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

not the dead they will praise Yahweh and not all [those who] go down of silence
דוּמָֽה׃du.Mah silence H1745 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means silence or stillness, sometimes symbolizing death. The Bible uses it to describe quiet or the absence of sound. It can also imply a sense of death or inactivity.
Amplified meaning
stillness, quiet, or the place of death
Tyndale gloss
silence
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דּוּמָה (duwmah) refers to silence, with implications of death and concealment. It is derived from an unused root meaning to be dumb. The term can also denote an oracle of silence, suggesting hidden meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דּוּמָה n.f. silence; also oracle of silence, i.e. of concealment, hidden meaning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1745 דּוּמָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1745 duwmah doo-maw'

from an unused root meaning to be dumb (compare 1820);

silence; figuratively, death:--silence.

see HEBREW for 01820

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דּוּמָה (du.mah) — silence.

silence

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

si'-lens: Five Hebrew roots, with various derivatives, and two Greek words are thus translated. The word is used literally for dumbness, interrupted speech, as in La 2:10; Ps 32:3; Ec 3:7; Am 5:13; Ac 15:12; 1Co 14:28; 1Ti 2:11,12 the King James Version (the American Standard Revised Version "quietness"); Re 8:1, or figuratively of the unanswered prayers of the believer (Ps 83:1; 35:22;

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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