The Seven Hebrew Words for Praise, Pt. 1

Posted on Nov 24, 2022 in Devotional |

Psalm 63:1-8 (NASB) says, “1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
4 So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches,
7 For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.”

“Give thanks unto the LORD, for His mercy endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34, 41; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1-3, 26).

It is that time of the year again, which personally is the week of my favorite celebration: Thanksgiving! Although 2020 has been a chaotic and crazy year for most people, it is easy to lose sight of what is most important in life. This is not about being worried what Christmas gifts to buy for family or friends, but rather celebrate time with those who are closest to you while you give God thanks for His many blessings. However, thanksgiving should be not just an annual thing, but a lifestyle!

There are so many reasons to praise God. Praise is thanking God for what He has done as an expression of gratitude. It can also be a declaration of faith in thanking God for what He is doing to do! In the same fashion, we should thank God for what we do not have, how He protected you from things you do not even realize. Nonetheless, we have to lot to praise God for, both with words and actions. We can honor God with our lips and our hearts be far from Him! (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8) Once we meditate upon the praises of God, then praise can become a lifestyle for us (Phil 4:8). The evidence of a lack of praise is shown through complaining, grumbling, murmuring, and gossiping. If you recognize a problem or issue, ask the Lord for a resolution, but this does not involve going to everyone and voicing your frustration in order to stir drama or trouble. Always ask God to search your heart to uncover the motive behind your frustration. True praise in thought, word and action descends from a place of peace. (Phil 4:4-9) God is not moved by the way you praise Him, but the sacrifice of praise you offer.

In Hebrew, there are 7 Hebrew words for praise, which should be seen through our lives:

1) Halal – is the primary Hebrew root word for praise, and it is the base of the word “Hallelujah”, which is the only universal word in the world today. It means “to be clear (originally 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.”* Psalm 56:4 says, “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” Psalm 105:3 says, “Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.” Psalm 115:17 says, “The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.” Psalm 145:3 says, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”

2) Towdah – properly an extension of the hand, that is, (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically a choir of worshippers:—confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks (-giving, offering).* It could be confessing things to be before they already take place, just as Abraham, who spoke those things which be not as though they were. It is a sacrifice of praise. Psalm 50:14 says, “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.” Psalm 20:6 says, “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” Hebrews 13:15 says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

3) Yadah – literally to use (that is, hold out) the hand; physically to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively to bemoan (by wringing the hands):—cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful, -s, -sgiving).* Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Psalm 63:4 says, “Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.” Psalm 119:7 says, “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.” 1 Timothy 2:8 says, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

4) Barak – to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):— X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.* Psalm 95:6 says, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” Psalm 72:19 says, “And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.” Psalm 103:1-2 says, “1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Philippians 2:10-11 says, “10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

*Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary.