Listed below are several Hebrew words related to praise and worship. Scripture references are given for each word with the Hebrew word in bold. The New King James Version is used unless otherwise noted. Most of the Hebrew definitions have been compiled from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
We have taken the 10 most prominent words and listed them first.
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Barak-to kneel or bow, to give reverence to God as an act of adoration, implies a continual conscious giving place to God, to be atuned to him and his presence
Psalms 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him, and bless his name.
Psalms 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
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Guwl-to spin around, under the influence of any violent emotion
Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalms 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in his salvation.
Psalms 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
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Hallal-to praise, to make a show or rave about, to glory in or boast upon, to be clamorously foolish about you adoration of God
Psalms 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him, and fear him, all you offspring of Israel!
Psalms 44:8 In God we boast all day long, and praise your name forever. Selah
Psalms 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips.
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Ranan-to creak, to emit a stridulous sound, to shout aloud for joy
Psalms 7:17 I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalms 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Psalms 98:4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
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Shachah-to depress or prostrate in homage or loyalty to God, bow down, fall down flat
Psalms 29:2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Psalms 66:4 All the earth shall worship you and sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to your name. Selah
Psalms 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
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Shuwr-strolling minstrelsy, to sing, singer (man or woman)
Psalms 18:49 Therefore I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name.
Psalms 33:3 Sing to him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
Psalms 144:9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to you.
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Tehillah-to sing hallal, a new song, a hymn of spontaneous praise glorifying God in song
Psalms 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalms 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth — praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
Psalms 149:1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and his praise in the assembly of saints.
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Todah-an extension of the hand, avowal, adoration, a choir of worshipers, confession, sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving
Psalms 50:14 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.
Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him, and bless his name.
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Yadah-to use, hold out the hand, to throw (a stone or arrow) at or away, to revere or worship (with extended hands, praise thankful, thanksgiving)
Psalms 33:2 Praise the Lord with the harp; Make melody to him with an instrument of ten strings.
Psalms 61:8 So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows.
Psalms 18:49 Therefore I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name.
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Zamar-to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument i.e. play upon it, to make music accompanied by the voice, to celebrate in song and music, give praise, sing forth praises, psalms
Psalms 66:2 Sing out the honor of his name; Make his praise glorious.
Psalms 71:22 Also with the lute I will praise you — and your faithfulness, O my God! To you I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
Psalms 144:9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to you.
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Alats-to jump for joy, exult, be joyful, rejoice, triumph
Psalms 5:11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in you; Let them ever shout for joy, because you defend them; Let those also who love your name be joyful in you.
Psalms 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
Psalms 68:3 But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
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Alaz-to jump for joy, exult, be joyful, rejoice, triumph
Psalms 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise him.
Psalms 68:4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; Extol him who rides on the clouds, by his name YAH, and rejoice before him.
Psalms 98:4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
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Anah-to eye or to heed, pay attention, to respond, to begin to speak, to sing, shout, testify, announce, give, account, afflict
Psalms 147:7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God.
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Calal-to mound up, exalt, reflex, to oppose, cast up, exalt (self), extol, make plain, raise up
Psalms 68:4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; Extol him who rides on the clouds, by His name YAH, and rejoice before him.
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Caphar-to score with a mark, to inscribe, to enumerate, recount, celebrate, show forth, speak, talk, tell
Psalms 9:14 That I may tell of all your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in your salvation.
Psalms 79:13 So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever; We will show forth your praise to all generations.
Isaiah 43:21 This people I have formed for myself; They shall declare my praise.
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Chagag-to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival, to be giddy, celebrate, dance, to keep or hold a solemn feast (holiday), to reel to and fro
1 Sam 30:16-17 And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
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Chuwl-to twist or whirl in a circular spiral manner, to dance
Judges 21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so; they took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them.
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Dagal-to flaunt, to raise a flag, to be conspicuous, set up with banners, cheifest
Psalms 20:5 We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
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Gadal-to cause to be large, increase in estate, honor or pride, advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, lift up, magnify, promote, speak proudly of
Psalms 34:3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psalms 70:4 Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; And let those who love your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified!”
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Giyl-a revolution (of time and age), exceeding joy, gladness, greatly, rejoice
Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalm 65:12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side.
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Gol-to call aloud, a voice or sound, bleating, crackling, cry, fame, lightness, lowing, noise, proclaiming, sing, sound, thunder, voice, yell
Psalms 95:1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to him with psalms.
Psalms 98:4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
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Hilluwl-a sense of rejoicing, a celebration of thanksgiving for harvest, merry, praise
Leviticus 19:24 But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the Lord.
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Kabed-numerous, rich, honorable, to make weighty
Psalms 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him, and fear him, all you offspring of Israel!
Psalms 86:9 All nations whom you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
Psalms 86:12 12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify your name forevermore.
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Kabod-splendor, copiousness, glorious, glory, honorable
Psalms 29:1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Psalms 66:2 Sing out the honor of his name; Make his praise glorious.
Psalms 96:8 Give to the Lord the glory due his name; Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
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Kara-to bend the knee, to sink, to prostrate, bow down self, bring down low
Psalms 22:29 All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who cannot keep himself alive.
Psalms 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
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Karar-to dance, whirl
2 Samuel 6:14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.
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Macha-to rub or strike the hands together (in exultation), clap
Psalms 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord…
Machowl-a round dance, dancing
Psalms 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness…
Psalms 149:3 Let them praise his name with the dance; Let them sing praises to him with the timbrel and harp.
Jeremiah 31:13 13 “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.”
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Mangiynah-a satire, music
Lamentations 3:63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up; I am their taunting song.
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Massa-a burden, an utterance chiefly a doom, especially singing, prophecy, song, tribute
Habakkuk 1:1 The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.
Note: Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and he will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
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Mechowlah-a dance company, dances
Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
Jeremiah 31:4 Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
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Mizmowr-instrumental music, a poem set to notes, the word most frequently used for titles of the Psalms
Psalms 3:1 A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.
Psalms 13:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
Psalms 15:1 A Psalm of David.
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Nacah-to lift, exalt, extol, hold, up, honorable, magnify, regard, respect, yield
Psalms 28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to you, when I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary.
Psalms 63:4 Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in your name.
Psalms 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
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Nagan-to thrum, to beat a tune with the fingers, to play a stringed instrument, to make music, sing to stringed instruments
Psalms 33:3 Sing to him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
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Natsach-to glitter from afar, to be eminent (as a superintendent), especially of the temple services and it’s’ music, to be permanent, excel, chief musician (singer), overseer, set forward, used in the title of the Psalms
Psalm 4:1 To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
Psalms 5:1 To the Chief Musician. With flutes. A Psalm of David.
Psalms 8:1 To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.
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Negiynath-instrumental music, a stringed instrument, a poem set to music, an epigram
Lamentations 5:14 The elders have ceased gathering at the gate, and the young men from their music.
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Paras-to break apart, disperse, break, chop in pieces, lay open, scatter, spread (abroad, forth, selves, out), stretch (forth, out
Psalms 143:6 I spread out my hands to you; My soul longs for you like a thirsty land. Selah
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Patsach-to break out (in joyful sound), break forth into joy, make a loud noise
Psalms 98:4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
Psalms 98:6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.
Psalms 100:1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
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Pazaz-to solidify (as if by refining), to spring (as if separating the limbs), leap, be made strong
2 Samuel 6:16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
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Ragad-to stamp, to spring about (wildly or for joy), aloud, noise, shouted
Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
1 Chronicles 15:29 And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.
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Renanah-a shout (for joy), joyful voice, singing, triumphing
Psalms 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before his presence with singing.
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Rinnah-a shrill sound, shout of grief or joy, gladness, proclamation, rejoicing, shouting, triumph, singing
Psalms 107:22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psalms 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
Psalms 126:6 He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
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Rowmam-exaltation, praise, be extolled
Psalms 66:17 I cried to him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
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Ruwa-to split the ears with sound, shout (for alarm or joy), blow an alarm, make a joyful noise, shout for joy, sound an alarm
Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Psalms 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
Psalms 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; The valleys also are covered with grain; They shout for joy, they also sing.
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Samach-to brighten up, cheer up, make glad, make merry
Psalms 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your mercy, for you have considered my trouble; you have known my soul in adversities.
Psalms 48:11 Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgments.
Psalms 105:3 Glory in his holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
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Sameach-blithe or gleeful, glad, joyful, making merry, hearted, rejoice
Psalms 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness.
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Sason-cheerfulness, welcome, gladness, joy, rejoicing, mirth
Psalms 119:111 Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
Shabach-to address in a loud tone, a loud adoration, a shout, proclaiming with a loud voice (unashamed), to glory, triumph, power, a testimony of praise
Psalms 63:3 Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.
Psalms 106:47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise.
Psalms 145:4 One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
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Shaown-uproar (as a rushing), destruction, noise, pomp, rushing, tumult
Psalms 66:1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Psalms 81:1 Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.
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Shebach-adore, praise, to adulate
Daniel 2:23 I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, For you have made known to us the king’s demand.
Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored him who lives forever: For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.
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Shiryah-a song, singing, musical song
Psalms 96:1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Psalms 98:1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For he has done marvelous things; His right hand and his holy arm have gained him the victory.
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Suws-to be bright, cheerful, be glad, make mirth, rejoice
Psalms 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in his salvation.
Psalms 40:16 Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; Let such as love your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!”
Psalms 119:162 I rejoice at your word as one who finds great treasure.
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Taga-to clatter, slap hands together, clang an instrument, to become bondsman by hand clasping, blow a trumpet
Psalms 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
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Teruwah-an acclamation of joy or a battle cry, clangor of trumpets, sounding of an alarm
Psalms 27:6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
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Zammar-an instrumental musician, singer
Ezra 7:24 Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God.
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Zemar-instrumental music
Daniel 3:7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel 3:10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image.
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Zemirah-a song to be accompanied by instrumental music
Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to him with psalms.
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Zimrah-a musical piece, song to be accompanied by an instrument, melody, psalm
Psalms 81:2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the lute.
Psalms 98:5 Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm.
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