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Psalms 9:11 — Word Study

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WLCזַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃

BSAto the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (a.Li.lo.Tav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 9:11quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls for worship of the LORD, who resides in Zion, and urges the declaration of His mighty acts to all peoples.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the community of believers.
Where we areA call to worship, emphasizing God's presence and deeds.
The hard wordעֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו
Take awayWorship is both a joyful noise and a proclamation of God's greatness.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbוְ 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 9:11

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

10Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
11Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations.
12For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
13Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death,

Psalms 9:11 encourages the faithful to sing praises to the LORD, acknowledging His dwelling in Zion and urging them to proclaim His deeds among the nations. This reflects a broader theme in the Psalms, where worship is an act of both personal and communal expression of faith, as seen in other passages like Psalm 33:1 and Psalm 96:1.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 33:1–3Rejoice in the LORD, O righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.
2Psalm 47:6–7Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!
3Psalm 96:1–2Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
4Psalm 148:1–5Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.
5Psalm 78:68But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.

The Key Word זַמְּר֗וּ, za.me.Rugenerated

The verb זַמְּר֗וּ (zamar) is a Piel imperative, which emphasizes the act of singing or making music, particularly in praise of God. It carries the connotation of joyful and celebratory worship, often involving instruments.

In this context, it invites the community to engage actively in worship, recognizing that such expressions of praise are vital to the life of faith and the acknowledgment of God's presence.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is זַמְּר֗וּ, sing praises, which governs the rest of the sentence. Following it are two clauses: the first describes who the praises are directed to, and the second details what should be proclaimed.

The structure emphasizes the imperative nature of worship, with a clear focus on both the action of singing and the declaration of God's mighty deeds.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates זַמְּר֗וּ as καὶ (kai), which serves as a conjunction rather than a direct translation. This indicates a stylistic choice in the Greek that may reflect a broader context of worship rather than focusing solely on the act of singing.

The word הַגִּ֥ידוּ is rendered as ὄνομά (onoma), which means name, suggesting an emphasis on declaring the name of the LORD, further highlighting His identity and deeds.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 9:11 invites the community to sing praises to the LORD, who resides in Zion, and to declare His mighty deeds among the nations. This reflects a call to worship that is both joyful and communal.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to sing praises to the LORD?

To sing praises means to express joy and gratitude to God through music and song, acknowledging His greatness and works.

Why is Zion significant in this verse?

Zion represents the dwelling place of God, symbolizing His presence among His people and the holy city of Jerusalem.

What are God's deeds that we should proclaim?

God's deeds refer to His mighty acts and works throughout history, particularly those that demonstrate His power and faithfulness to His people.

How can we declare His deeds among the nations?

We can declare His deeds by sharing the stories of His faithfulness and works in our lives and throughout history with others.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I incorporate singing praises into my daily worship?
  2. What are some specific deeds of God that I can share with others?
  3. In what ways does recognizing God's presence in my life affect my worship?
  4. How can I encourage others to join in declaring God's greatness?

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

The early Church Fathers reference this verse to discuss the nature of worship and God's dwelling, providing insights into its theological implications.

Clement of AlexandriaThe Stromata Book 6 c. 150–215
Those who are wild in respect of faith and polluted in life, not purified by the righteousness that is according to the law, are called wild beasts.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 9 →
John ChrysostomCOMMENTARY ON THE Psalms 9:6 c. 347–407
What do you mean? Does the one whose throne is heaven and his footstool earth, in whose hands are the bounds of the earth, dwell in Zion? Yes: he refers here to his dwelling, not for him to be circumscribed (his greatness, after all,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 9 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 9 354–430
"Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Sion" [Psalms 9:11], is said to them, whom the Lord forsakes not as they seek Him.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 9 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 9:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion,.... The psalmist having determined in the strength of grace to praise the Lord himself, and show forth all his marvellous works, and given his

Read John Gill on Psalms 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Which dwelleth in Zion; whose special and gracious presence is there; for there was the ark at this time. Among the people, i.e. to the heathen nations, that they also may be brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 9:11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.Ver. 11. Sing praises to the Lord, &c.] This is the guise of godly people, to provoke others to praise God, as being unsatisfiable in their desires of doing him that service, and as deeming that others see him as they do totum totum desiderabilem, worthy to be praised, Psalms 18:3, highly to be admired, Psalms 9:1 of this psalm.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 11. Declare among the people his doings.] It is the duty of all those who have received the salvation of God, to recommend him and his salvation to the whole circle of their acquaintance, Christians, so called, when they meet, seldom speak about God! Why is this? Because they have nothing to say.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11, 12. Stanza of Zayin. A call to praise.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 9 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Sing praises to the Lord - As the result of these views of his character, and at the remembrance of his doings.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 9 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11, 12. Sing praises to the Lord—We have here a call for public thanksgiving by all the people in their religious assemblies.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 9 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion, and declare among the people what he has done.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Sing praises to the Lord, who rules in Zion! Tell the nations what he has done!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Sing praises to Jehovah, who dwelleth in Zion: Declare among the people his doings.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: shewe the people his workes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Sing psalms to Jehovah who dwelleth in Zion; tell among the peoples his doings.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Sing ye praise to Jehovah, inhabiting Zion, Declare ye among the peoples His acts,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Sing praise to YHWH, inhabiting Zion, || Declare His acts among the peoples,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(9:12) Sing praises to the Lord, who dwelleth in Zion: announce among the people his deeds.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Sing praises to Yahweh, who rules in Zion; tell the nations what he has done.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Zion! Tell the nations what he has done!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Make songs of praise to the Lord, whose house is in Zion: make his doings clear to the people.

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.

clauseverbזַמְּר֗וּsing.praisesprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַ֭tonoun phraseיהוָהYahwehnoun phraseclauseverbיֹשֵׁ֣ב[who].dwellsadverbialצִיּ֑וֹןZionclauseverbהַגִּ֥ידוּdeclareprepositional phrase · prepositionalבָ֝amongnoun phrasetheעַמִּ֗יםpeoplesnoun phrase · objectעֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיdeedsוhis

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 agree closely in wording, with all seven words matched. This shows a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.

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

זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
זַמְּר֗וּκαὶלַ֭יהוָהἐπὶיֹשֵׁ֣בσὲצִיּ֑וֹןγινώσκοντεςהַגִּ֥ידוּὄνομάבָ֝עַמִּ֗יםὅτιעֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃ἐγκατέλιπες

7 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.

Psalms 9:11זמרsing praisesing praisesזמריהוהto Yahwehto Yahwehיהוהיָשַׁב[who] dwell[who] dwellsיָשַׁבצִיּוֹןZionZionצִיּוֹןנָגַדdeclaredeclareנָגַדעַםamong the pamong the peoplעַםעֲלִילָהdeeds hisdeeds hisעֲלִילָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםעָלַלto abuseto abuseעָלַלזָמַרto pruneto pruneזָמַרצִיוּןsignpostsignpostצִיוּןכִּנּוֹרlyrelyreכִּנּוֹרנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאבֶּ֫טַחsecuritysecurityבֶּ֫טַחכְּנַעֲנִיCanaanitesCanaanitessכְּנַעֲנִיגִּילto rejoiceto rejoiceגִּילקִנְאָהjealousyjealousyקִנְאָהקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאשָׁחַתto ruinto ruinשָׁחַתדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְ
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 9:11

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.

sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
זַמְּר֗וּza.me.Ru sing praises H2167 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to sing or make music, often with praise and celebration. In the Psalms, it describes singing with instruments and voice, giving thanks to God. It's about joyful noise and worship.
Tyndale gloss
to sing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זמר] vb. only Pi. make music in praise of God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2167 זמר only Pi. make music in praise of God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpv2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
HVpv2mp
sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
לַ֭יהוָהla.Yah.weh to Yahweh H3068 Preposition · noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the Lord of Israel
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
יֹשֵׁ֣בyo.Shev [who] dwells H3427 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmsa — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
צִיּ֑וֹןtzi.Yon Zion H6726 Noun proper
154× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zion refers to a mountain in Jerusalem, often used as another name for the city, especially in prophetic books like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Tyndale gloss
Zion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyôn) refers to Zion, often identified as a mountain in Jerusalem and a symbolic name for the city itself, particularly in prophetic contexts. The term is linked to the Hebrew word for Jerusalem and is noted for meaning 'parched place.' It is consistently recognized across lexicons as a proper noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6726 צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn, Zion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6726 Tsiyown tsee-yone'

the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent

capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.

see HEBREW for 06725

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) — Zion.

Zion = "parched place"

another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion):

1. Meaning of the Word

2. The Zion of the Jebusites

3. Zion of the Prophets

4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha

5. Omission of Name by Some Writers

6. The Name "Zion" in Christian Times

LITERATURE

1. Meaning of the Word:

A name applied to Jerusalem, or to certain parts of it, at least since the time of David. Nothing certain is known of the meaning. Gesenius and others have derived it from a Hebrew root tsahah, "to be dry"; Delitzsch from tsiwwah, "to set up" and Wetzstein from tsin, "to protect." Gesenius finds a more hopeful suggestion in the Arabic equivalent cihw, the Arabic cahwat signifying "ridge of a mountain" or "citadel," which at any rate suitably applies to what we know to have been the original Zion (compare Smith, HGHL, under the word).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zion

Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.

When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2;

sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
הַגִּ֥ידוּha.Gi.du declare H5046 Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine plural
371× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To tell or declare something openly, as in Genesis 3:11 where God asks Adam to tell the truth. It means to stand boldly and announce something to someone present. In Exodus 32:27, Moses tells the Levites to declare their actions to the people.
Tyndale gloss
to tell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָגַד (nagad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to declare or tell, with implications of being conspicuous or manifesting something. It covers a range of meanings including to announce, report, and make known, often through spoken word. The entries indicate that it can also mean to expose or predict, and in the Hophil form, it refers to something being told or reported.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נָגַד] 363 vb. be conspicuous

Hiph. declare, tell

Hoph. be told, announced, reported

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5046 נָגַד be conspicuous . declare, tell

. be told, announced, reported

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5046 nagad naw-gad'

a primitive root; properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out

opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest;

figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one

present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain,

praise:--bewray, X certainly, certify, declare(-ing),

denounce, expound, X fully, messenger, plainly, profess,

rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, X surely, tell, utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָגַד (na.gad) — to tell.

1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known

1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare

1a1) to tell, announce, report

1a2) to declare, make known, expound

1a3) to inform of

1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim

1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess

1a5a) messenger (participle)

1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhv2mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine plural
HVhv2mp
sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
בָ֝עַמִּ֗יםva.'a.Mim among the peoples H5971 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
1,873× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Tyndale gloss
Amaw
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people

a people, nation

= smaller units

= common people

people in gen., persons

phrases

base

[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5971 `am am

from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a

tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or

attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,

people.

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַם (am) — people.

: people/nation

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — kinsman.

kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Ammi.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — People's (Gate).

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.

Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)

§ kinsman, kindred

עַם (am) — Amaw.

This name means nation, people

עַם (am) — people: soldiers.

: soldiers/army

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

עַם (am) — people: creatures.

: creatures

1) nation, people

1a) people, nation

1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Ncmpa — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HRd/Ncmpa
sing praises to Yahweh [who] dwells Zion declare among the peoples deeds his
עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃a.Li.lo.Tav deeds his H5949 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word can mean wantonness or evil deeds, but also a great exploit or achievement. It's used to describe God's mighty acts and human actions, both good and bad, like in Psalm 9.
Tyndale gloss
wantonness
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֲלִילָה (aliylah) refers to wantonness or a deed, often implying negative connotations such as evil practices. It is derived from the root meaning to effect or perform, and can denote an act, work, or occasion. The entries consistently emphasize its association with bad deeds.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֲלִילָה n.f. wantonness, deed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5949 עֲלִילָה wantonness, deed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5949 `aliylah al-ee-law'

or malilah {al-ee-law'}; from 5953 in the sense of effecting;

an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad

sense); by implication, an opportunity:--act(-ion), deed,

doing, invention, occasion, work.

see HEBREW for 05953

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֲלִילָה (a.li.lah) — wantonness.

1) wantonness, deed, doing

1a) wantonness

1b) deed

1c) practices, evil deeds

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfpc/Sp3ms — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

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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