Psalms 81:2

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

Take a psalm, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

American King James Version (AKJV)

Take a psalm, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

American Standard Version (ASV)

Raise a song, and bring hither the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Take up the melody, playing on an instrument of music, even on corded instruments.

Webster's Revision

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

World English Bible

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

English Revised Version (ERV)

Take up the psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Definitions for Psalms 81:2

Psalm - A song; a melody.
Psaltery - A stringed musical instrument.

Clarke's Psalms 81:2 Bible Commentary

Take a psalm - זמרה zimrah. I rather think that this was the name of a musical instrument.

Bring hither the timbrel - תף toph; some kind of drum or tom tom.

The pleasant harp - כנור kinnor. Probably a sistrum, or something like it. A Stringed instrument.

With the psaltery - נבל nebel, the nabla. The cithara, Septuagint.

Barnes's Psalms 81:2 Bible Commentary

Take a psalm - literally, "Lift up a psalm; perhaps, as we should say, "Raise the tune." Or, it may mean, Take an ode, a hymn, a psalm, composed for the occasion, and accompany it with the instruments of music which are specified.

And bring hither the timbrel - For the purpose of praise. On the meaning of this word rendered "timbrel" - תף tôph - see the notes at Isaiah 5:12.

The pleasant harp - On the word here rendered "harp" - כנור kinnôr - see also the notes at Isaiah 5:12. The word translated "pleasant" - נעים nâ‛ı̂ym - means properly pleasant, agreeable, sweet, Psalm 133:1; Psalm 147:1. It is connected here with the word harp, as meaning that that instrument was distinguished particularly for a sweet or pleasant sound.

With the psaltery - On the meaning of the word used here - נבל nebel - see the notes at Isaiah 5:12. These were the common instruments of music among the Hebrews. They were employed alike on sacred occasions, and in scenes of revelry. See Isaiah 5:12.