®

Search Languages

Seven Types of Praise

Question
I learned a few years ago that there were 7 types of praise, todah, yadda, shabach, etc. Can you
give me some more information of these.
Answer
Normally when someone refers to this they are seeking the following (from Strong's Hebrew
Lexicon):

1.YADAH to worship with the extended hand. The giving of oneself in worship and adoration. To
lift your hands unto the Lord. It carries the meaning of absolute surrender as a young child does
to a parent - "pick me up, I'm all yours". Scriptures: Gen. 29:35, 2 Chron. 7:6, 20:21, Psalms 9:1,
28:7, Psalms 33:2, 42:5,11, 49:18, Isaiah 12:1

3034 yadah; a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027; literally, to use (i.e. 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):

KJV-- cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful, -s, -sgiving).

to throw, to shoot, to cast

a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)

b) (Piel) to cast, to cast down, to throw down

c) (Hiphil)

1) to give thanks, to laud, praise

2) to confess, to confess (the name of God)

d) (Hithpael)

1) to confess (sin)

2) to give thanks

Yadah in practice - Lift my hands to Him and say how I am surrendering myself to Him. List the
ways that I am surrendering to Him. Be diligent. Be disciplined. Be specific. Take the discipline
and SAY to the Lord how I am surrendering to Him. With my hands uplifted - surrender unto my
God - spirit, soul & body. Totally commit myself to my father.

2.TEHILLAH to sing, to laud. A spontaneous new song. Singing from a melody in your heart by
adding words to it. This refers to a special kind of singing-it is singing unprepared, unrehearsed
songs. Brings tremendous unity to the body of Christ. Singing straight to God. Can move into
tehilah anytime. Singing it the second time would be ZAMAR. It is the praise that God inhabits
(sits enthroned on)(Psalm 22:3) God manifests Himself in the mids of exuberant singing.

Scripture: Psalms 22:3, 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, 2 Chronicles 20:22

8416 tehillah; from 1984; laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn: KJV-- praise.

praise, a song or a hymn of praise

a) praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God)

b) the act of general or public praise

c) a praise-song (as a Hebrew title)

d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God)

e) renown, fame, glory

1) used of Damascus , God

2) an object of praise, a possessor of renown (figurative)

3.BARAK To kneel or to bow. To give reverence to God as an act of adoration. It implies to

continual conscious giving place to God. Blessing the Lord, extolling virtue. There is a sense of
kneeling and blessing God as an act of adoration in the word BARAK. Physical application - To
bow, kneel or to do this with the intent in my heart that He is my KING and I yield to HIM. I am
acknowledging Him as KING and GOD. SONG: BLESS THE LORD Scripture: Psalm 103 tells us
how to bless the Lord and then goes on to enumerate those blessings: loving kindness,
satisfaction redemption, honor, renewal. We bless the Lord by remembering all of these things.
1288 barak; a primitive root; 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):
Q&A Knowledgebase
Topical Index
About
KJV-- the Answers
X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X
Ask a Question
indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.

1) to bless, to kneel

a) (Qal)

1) to kneel

2) to bless

b) (Niphal) to be blessed, to bless oneself

c) (Piel) to bless

d) (Pual) to be blessed, to be adored

e) (Hiphil) to cause to kneel

f) (Hithpael) to bless oneself

2) Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: to praise, to salute, to curse

4.HALAL

Scripture: 1 Chron. 16:4, 23:5,30, 25:3, 29:13, Neh. 12:24 (this word appears over 110 times in
the OT)

1984 halal; a primitive root; to be clear (orig. 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:

KJV - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be
(make feignself) mad (against) give in marriage [sing be worthy of] praise rage renowned
(make, feignself) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned,
shine.
About Learn

1) toOur Ministry
shine Video Seminary Curriculum
Our Team Learning Pathways
Network Partners Online Classrooms
a) (Qal) to shine (figurative
Website Overview of God's favor)
Thirdmill Institute
FAQ Online Degree Partners
Study at Home
b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
About the Video Curriculum

2) to praise, to boast, to be boastful

Resources Connect Donate
Biblical Perspectives Magazine Mobile Apps
a) (Qal)
Q&A Knowledgebase Newsletters
Study Bible Request Curriculum
1) toAudio Sermons & Lectures
be boastful Share Your Thirdmill Story
4 the World Podcast Contact Us
Electronic Books Calendar of Events
Paulineones,
2) boastful Studies
boasters (participle) Promote
Worship Resources Annual Reports

b) (Piel)

1) to praise

2) to boast, to make a boast

c) (Pual) to be praised, to be made praiseworthy, to be commended, to be worthy of praise

Thirdmill
316 Live Oaks Boulevard
d) (Hithpael) to boast, to glory, to make one's boast
Casselberry, FL 32707 USA
407-830-0222
[email protected]
e) (Poel) to make a fool of, to make into a fool

Copyright 2011-2025, Third Millennium Ministries,

f) (Hithpoel)
Inc. Alltorights
act madly, to act like a madman
reserved.

5.TOWDAH To give worship by the extension of the hand in adoration or agreeing with what has
Biblical
been done or will be. This word Education.lyFor
is common- thein
found World. For Free.
connection with sacrifice-applying the
giving of thanks or praise as a sacrifice before reception or manifestation. Thanking God for
something that I don't have in the natural. Agreeing with His Word - faith in His Word. This form
of praise goes in operation just because His Word is true. "Father, I thank YOU that YOUR WORD
is TRUE. As we raise our hearts and hands in praise to the Lord, it involves a sacrifice,
i ll if i i ki b d h l i d ld fi h d idi l hi i l
especially if one is very sick in body. The carnal mind would fight and ridicule this particular
action, but there is great faith in TOWDAH as praise. The lifting of the hand symbolizes
agreement. The right hand symbolizes my covenant with my my Father. As I go through the
scriptures, God is seen extending His Right Hand to me. That's the covenant. When He extends
His right hand to me, He's saying to me - ALL THAT I AM IS YOURS, and when I extend my right
hand to Him, I am saying "All that I am is yours and I agree with what You're saying. It is the
sacrifice that God honors by His performing of miracles.

The ATTITUDE for TOWDAH is: I'm thanking God. I'm agreeing with God that it is as He says. I
don't care what it looks like. I'm agreeing with what His Word says. Example: Father, I thank You
that I am healed.

Scripture: Psalm 42:4, 50:23, Jer. 17:26

8426 towdah; from 3034; properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or
(usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers: KJV-- confession, (sacrifice of) praise,
thanks (-giving, offering).

confession, praise, thanksgiving

a) give praise to God

b) thanksgiving in songs of liturgical worship, a hymn of praise

c) a thanksgiving choir or a procession or a line or a company

d) a thank-offering, a sacrifice of thanksgiving

e) confession

6.ZAMAR To sing with instruments. To make music accompanied by the voice. One of the
musical verbs for praise in the book of psalms. It carries the idea of making music in praise to
God as in Psalm 92:1. The word ZAMAR also means to touch the strings, and refers to praise
that involves instrumental worship as in Psalm 150. The one word is usually translated "sing
praises".

2167 zamar; a primitive root [perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea of striking with the
fingers]; properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make
music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music: KJV-- give praise, sing
forth praises, psalms.

to sing, to sing praise, to make music; (Piel)

1) to make music, to sing

2) to play a musical instrument

7. SHABACH to address in a loud tone, a loud adoration, a shout! Proclaim with a loud voice,
unashamed, the GLORY, TRIUMPH, POWER, MERCY, LOVE OF GOD. This word implies that
testimony is praise. The phrase "shout unto the Lord" can be understood as the action of
SHABACH. It is not just being loud. You should have the attitude of putting your whole being
into it, an attitude of being totally uninhibited. Scripture: Psalm 117:1, 63:3-4

7623 shabach; a primitive root; properly, to address in a loud tone, i.e. (specifically) loud;
figuratively, to pacify (as if by words): KJV-- commend, glory, keep in, praise, still, triumph.

1) to soothe, to still, to stroke

a) (Piel) to soothe, to still

b) (Hiphil) stilling (participle)

2) to laud, to praise, to commend

a) (Piel)

1) to laud, to praise (God)

2) to commend, to congratulate (the dead)

b) (Hithpael) to boast

Answer by Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr.

Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the Theological Editor at Third
Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill).