Tabernacle IV: The courtyard of praise

Charmaine Rayment is a voluntary missionary at Jews for Jesus. She has a real passion for worship ministry. Rayment has agreed to become a contributor to a podcast series called “A Life of Worship”. This is part four of a series devoted to the Tabernacle of the Lord. Below, you will find some notes from the episode as well as the podcast itself. Enjoy listening.

Notes from this episode

Music by Avihu Medina Shalom listeners! Today we will explore the courtyard of praise and how to enter into an attitude of praise Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving (tôwdâh), and His courts with praise (tehillâh)! Praise (yâdâh) Him; bless (bârâk) His name! SEVEN KEY HEBREW WORDS FOR PRAISE The word praise appears many times in the bible however we lose the exact meaning in the English language. Hebrew has seven words to describe praise. I would like to encourage you to take a concordance and everywhere you see the word “praise” in your bible, write down the Hebrew word next to it and you will get a better understanding of what is being said. I am just going to give a brief description of the seven Hebrew words for praise. The references have been added so that you may look them up for their full meaning. Hâlal (Strong’s Concordance 1984) To praise God explosively and enthusiastically. (Primary root of the word hallelujah Psalm 22:23 “I will declare Your Name to my brothers. I will praise (Hâlal) You amid the Congregation. Psalm 63:6 …so my mouth praises (Hâlal) You with joyful lips. Psalm 69:31 I will praise (Hâlal) God’s Name with a song, and magnify Him with praise. Psalm 150 Tehillâh (Strong’s Concordance 8416) To sing praises extravagantly. Psalm 40:4 “He put a new song in my mouth – a hymn of praise (Tehillâh) to our God. Many will see and fear and trust in ADONAI.” Psalm 22:4 “Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises (Tehillâh) of Israel. Psalm 34:2 “I will bless (Barak) ADONAI at all times. His praise (Tehillâh) is continually in my mouth.” Psalm 66:2 “Sing the glory of His Name – make His praise (Tehilâah) glorious.” Shâbach (Strong’s Concordance 7623) To shout; to exclaim praise, to proclaim with a loud voice. Psalm 63:4 “Since Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise (Shâbach) you.” Psalm 117:1 “Praise (Shâbach) ADONAI, all you nations! Glorify Him, all you people. Psalm 145:4 “One generation will praise (Shâbach) Your works to another and declare Your mighty acts. Psalm 147:12 “Exalt ADONAI, (Shâbach) O Jerusalem! Praise (Hâlal) your God, O Zion. Yâdâh (Strong’s Concordance 3034) To worship or revere with raised or extended hands. Psalm 134:2 “Lift up your hands (Yâdâh) in the sanctuary and bless ADONAI.” Psalm 9:2 “I will praise (Yâdâh) ADONAI with my whole heart. I will tell about all your wonders.” Psalm 7:18 “I will praise (Yâdâh) ADONAI for His justice. I sing praise to the Name of ADONAI Elyon!” Psalm 54:8 “I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You. I will praise (Yâdâh) Your Name.” Psalm 142:8 “Bring my soul out of prison, so I may praise (Yâdâh) Your Name.” Tôwdâh (Strong’s Concordance 8426) To give thanks; to extend the hands in thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving (Tôwdâh) and His courts with praise (Tehillâh)! Praise (Yâdâh) Him, bless (Barak) His Name.” Psalm 50:23 “A sacrifice of praise (Tôwdah) honors Me, and to the one who orders his way, I will show the salvation of God.” Psalm 116:17 “To You I will offer a sacrifice of praise (Tôwdâh), and I will call on the Name of ADONAI.” Bârak (Strong’s Concordance 1288) To bless God as an act of adoration; to kneel expectantly and quietly before him. Psalm 145:21 “My mouth declares the praise of ADONAI. Let all flesh bless (Bârak) His holy Name forever and ever!” Psalm 34:2 “I will bless (Bârak) ADONAI at all times. His praise (Tehillâh) is continually in my mouth.” Psalm 63:5 “So I will bless (Bârak) You as long as I live. In Your name I lift up my hands. Psalm 72:15 “…May he pray for him continually and bless (Bârak) him all day. Zâmar (Strong’s Concordance 2167) To use musical instruments. Sometimes accompanied by the voice. Psalm 33:2 “Praise ADONAI with the harp. Sing (Zâmar) praises to Him with a ten-string lyre.” Psalm 98:5 “Sing (Zâmar) praises to ADONAI with the harp, with the harp and a voice of melody.” Psalm 144:9 “God I sing a new song to You, on a ten-string harp (Zâmar) I sing praises (Tehillâh) to You.” The Hebrew word most used in the Old Testament for worship is shâchâh (Strong’s Concordance 7812) meaning prostrate; bow down. The Greek word most used in the New Testament for worship is prŏskunĕō (Strong’s Concordance 4352) meaning to prostrate oneself in homage. As we enter the courtyard of praise, let’s examine the kind of worship that David instituted and which can be seen in the book of Psalms. NINE WORSHIP POSTURES FOUND IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS VOICE Speak! Psalm 34:1 I will bless ADONAI at all time. His praise is continually in my mouth. Sing! Psalm 47:7 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! Shout! Psalm 32:11 Be glad in ADONAI and rejoice, you righteous, and shout for joy, all who are upright in heart! HANDS Lift! Psalm 63:4 So I will bless You as long as I live. In Your name I will lift up my hands. Play Instruments! Psalm 33:2 Praise ADONAI with the harp. Sing praises to Him with a ten-string lyre. 3 Sing to Him a new song! Play skillfully amid shouts of joy. Clap! Psalm 47:2 Clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of joy! POSTURE Stand! Psalm 134:1 Behold, ADONAI, all you servants of ADONAI, who stand by night in the house of ADONAI. Bow! Psalm 95:6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before ADONAI our Maker! Dance! Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing. Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp.