Psalms 81:3

"Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp."

Key Reflection

In Psalms 81:3, the command to raise a song and bring instruments like the tambourine, the lyre, and the harp reflects a communal call to joyful worship and celebration. This verse underscores the importance of using music and dance in religious observances, particularly on feast days, as a means to express thanksgiving and joy to God. The use of these specific musical instruments would have been familiar and integral to First Temple worship, emphasizing the vibrant and lively nature of communal praise in ancient Israelite culture.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Blow up the trumpet -The word rendered blow means to make a clangor or noise as on a trumpet. The trumpet was, like the timbrel, the harp, and the psaltery, a common instrument of music, and was employed on all their festive occasions. It was at first made of horn, and then was made similar in shape to a horn. CompareJoshua 6:5;Leviticus 25:9;Job 39:25. In the new moon -On the festival held at the time of the new moon. There was a high festival on the appearance of the new moon in the month of Tisri, or October, which was the beginning of their civil year, and it is not improbable that the return of each new moon was celebrated with special services.

Related Verses

More from Psalms 81

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