Psalms 4:0

Hebrew Bible (Masoretic) numbering: 4:1

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינ֗וֹת מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.

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Psalms 4:0

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Niqqud

Cantillation

Masoretic Phrasing

This book is chanted to the poetic accent system (used only in Job, Psalms, and Proverbs). Each group below ends at one of its pausing accents — translate a group as one unit.

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינ֗וֹת Revia Gadol — a lesser break מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד Silluq — end of the verse

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Word Parts

לַ מְנַצֵּ֥חַ

לַ

Prefix — preposition to, for + "the" (the article is absorbed into the prefix)

מְנַצֵּ֥חַ

Root word musician, overseers, set, singer, perpetual, …

Dictionary form: נָצַח · naw-TSA

Vowels & Accents

לַ

Hidden "the" לַ = the preposition + the article הַ squeezed together: the "a" vowel under the prefix is the swallowed "the". Translate "to the ___".

Hebrew Alephbet

Grammar Rd/Vprmsa

Verb — Piel, Participle Active, masculine singular, absolute state intensive — "he really / thoroughly did" ongoing action — try "___ing" or "one who ___s"

לַ	Speech Preposition Type Definite Article
מְנַצֵּחַ	Speech Verb Stem Piel Type Participle Active Gender Masculine Number Singular State Absolute

Verb Chart

Full verb chart

In English

In the KJV here: to the chief musician

to the chief musician ×55 to set forward ×2 and the overseers ×1 and were overseers ×1 by a perpetual ×1 overseers ×1 to excel ×1 to oversee ×1

More options

oversee — Best for supervisory or administrative contexts.

lead — Broad fit for musical or organizational leadership.

direct — Good for liturgical or musical directing roles.

excel — Captures the root sense of preeminence or distinction.

supervise — Formal register; suits temple-worker oversight passages.

endure perpetually — For rare uses emphasizing permanence or eternity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)

BDB5331 H5329

I. [נָצַח] verb be pre-eminent, enduring (Ecclus [Pi`el] make brilliant Eccl 43:5; Eccl 43:13 [?] (compare Oxford ed.^xxxiii); Late Hebrew נָצַח conquer, etc.; Phoenician נצח, Aramaic נְצַח, shine, be illustrious, pre-eminent, victorious; Arabic be pure, reliable; Ethiopic be pure, innocent; both classes of meaning probably derived form shine, be bright, brilliant, see also Dr^{1Sam 15:29}); —

Niph`al Participle active feminine נִצַּ֫חַת Jer 8:5 enduring (מְשֻׁבָה apostasy).

Piel = act as overseer, superintendent, director, only Chronicles and Psalm-titles; — Infinitive לְנַצֵּחַ 1Chr 15:21 + 4 t.; participle לַמְנַצֵּחַ Hab 3:19; Ps 4:1 + 54 t. Psalms; plural מְנַצְּחִים 2Chr 2:1; 2Chr 2:17; 2Chr 34:13 —

1. in building temple 2Chr 2:1; 2Chr 2:17; Ezra 3:8; Ezra 3:9, compare 2Chr 34:12; 2Chr 34:13.

2. in ministry of house of ׳י 1Chr 23:4.

3. in liturgical service of song, עלהֿשׁמינית, over the bass voices, leading them with כִּנֹּרוֺת 1Chr 15:21 לַמְנַצֵּחַ in titles Psalms has probably simile meaning, = musical director or choirmaster; Greek Vrss. of 2nd cent. A.D., Aq Theod Sym, and so Jerome, think of Aramaic victorious, but no clear explanation; ᵐ5 εἰς τὸ τέλος (probably לַמִּנְצָח) follows ordinary meaning of noun נֵצַח, which may be explained in eschatological sense as referring to end of age of world after Euseb Theod; or for full rendering after De; neither satisfactory. Chronicles, near in date, gives the clue which is intrinsically probably: לְ indicates, not assignment (nothing special in these Psalms to suggest it, and assignment of Psalms for such use a matter of course), but that these Psalms were taken by final editor from an older major Psalter known as the Director's Collection, compare the still earlier collections known as (ל)דוד, (ל)אסף, (ל)בני קרח. The 55 Psalms with למנצח were taken 39 from Davidic, 9 from Korahite, and 5 from Asaphic Psalters; only 2 anonymous. Hab 3 originally belonged to Director's Psalter. This and other Director's Psalms have musical directions in titles. The Director's Psalter was probably the prayer-book of synagogue of Greek period, presupposed by our Hab., the collection of the twelve Minor Prophets, the prophetic canon, and Daniel (see Br^{Gen. Intr. 123}).

BDB9717 H5329 H5330

[נְצַח] verb Hithpa. distinguish oneself (see Biblical Hebrew I. נצח); — Participle מִתְנַצַּח Dan 6:4, עַל person

Strong's Definition H5329

musician, overseers, set, singer, perpetual, …

nāṣaḥ

properly, to glitter from afar, i.e., to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); to be permanent

to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring

(Niphal) enduring (participle)

Variations 9 forms of this word

Translations 10 English renderings

Chief Musician Overseer

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Word Parts

בִּ נְגִינ֗וֹת

בִּ

Prefix — preposition in, at, by, with

נְגִינ֗וֹת

Root word neginoth, song, songs, instruments, musick, …

Dictionary form: נְגִינָה · neh-ɡee-NAW

Vowels & Accents

Hebrew Alephbet

Grammar R/Ncfpa

Noun — Common, feminine plural, absolute state plural — usually add "-s"

בִּ	Speech Preposition
נְגִינוֹת	Speech Noun Type Common Gender Feminine Number Plural State Absolute

In English

In the KJV here: on neginoth

on neginoth ×6 against me and i was the song ×1 and their song ×1 from their musick ×1 i their song ×1 me therefore we will sing my songs ×1 my song ×1 neginah ×1

More options

song — Broadest rendering; fits most poetic and liturgical contexts.

stringed-instrument music — Emphasizes the instrumental performance aspect.

melody — Highlights the musical/tonal quality over lyrics.

taunt-song — Use when context is mockery or derision (e.g. Job 30:9).

psalm — Prefer in formal worship or superscription contexts.

musical poem — Captures both literary and performative dimensions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)

BDB4974 H5058

[נְגִינָה] noun feminine music; — absolute נְגִינַת Ps 61:1 (see below); suffix נְגִינָתִי Ps 77:7 נְגִינָתָם Job 30:9 + 2 t.; plural נְגִינוֺת Ps 4:1 + 6 t.; נְגִינָתַי Isa 38:20 תָ֑י- Hab 3:19 —

1. music (of stringed instrument) accusative of congnate meaning with verb Isa 38:20 as occupation Lam 5:14 especially בִּנְגִינוֺת in Psalm-titles; Ps 4:1; Ps 6:1; Ps 54:1; Ps 55:1; Ps 67:1; Ps 76:1 so Hab 3:19 compare עַלנְֿגִינַת Ps 61:1 (read perhaps plural Ges^{«GKC:80f»§ 80f}.).

2. song (with string accompare?) Ps 77:7 subject of mocking song Job 30:9 (|| מִלָּה), Ps 69:13 (שׁוֺתֵי שֵׁכָר ׳נ), Lam 3:14 (|| שְׂחֹק).

Strong's Definition H5058

neginoth, song, songs, instruments, musick, …

nĕgînâ

properly, instrumental music; by implication, a stringed instrument; by extension, a poem set to music; specifically, an epigram

music, song, taunt song

music (of stringed instrument)

taunting or mocking song

Variations 9 forms of this word

Translations 9 English renderings

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Word Parts

מִזְמ֥וֹר

Root word psalm

Dictionary form: מִזְמוֹר · midz-MORE

Vowels & Accents

Hebrew Alephbet

Grammar Ncmsa

Noun — Common, masculine singular, absolute state

מִזְמוֹר

Speech Noun Type Common Gender Masculine Number Singular State Absolute

In English

In the KJV here: a psalm

a psalm ×52 or psalm ×4 and psalm ×1

More options

psalm — Standard modern term; universally recognized in religious contexts.

song — Broader, more accessible term for general audiences.

hymn — Emphasizes congregational or liturgical use.

sacred song — Clarifies religious nature when 'song' alone feels ambiguous.

lyric poem — Highlights literary form; useful in academic or poetic contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)

BDB2390 H4210

מִזְמוֺר noun [masculine] melody (technical designation of psalms; compare Hup^{Psalm, Einl. § 7, 2} De⁴ on Ps 3, Bae^{Psalmen, xiii}; , , loan-words, all = Psalm(s); on ׳מ, in relation to תהלה compare Lg^{Or ii. 22 f.}), always in this form; in 57 Psalm-titles: — ׳מ alone Ps 98:1, שׁיר ליום הַשַּׁבָּת ׳מ Ps 92:1, לְתוֺדָה ׳מ Ps 100:1 usually with person name or title; לְדָוִד ׳מ Ps 3:1; Ps 15:1; Ps 23:1; Ps 29:1; Ps 63:1; Ps 141:1; Ps 143:1, ׳שׁיר מ לדוד Ps 108:1, לדוד לְהַזְכִּיר ׳מ Ps 38:1, שִׁירחֲֿנֻכַּת הבית ׳מ לדוד Ps 30:1, ׳לדוד מ Ps 24:1; Ps 101:1; Ps 110:1, לדוד ׳לַמְנַצֵּחַ מ Ps 13:1; Ps 19:1; Ps 20:1; Ps 21:1; Ps 31:1; Ps 41:1; Ps 51:1; Ps 64:1; Ps 140:1 לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ ֗֗֗ לדוד ׳מ Ps 4:1; Ps 5:1; Ps 6:1; Ps 8:1; Ps 9:1; Ps 12:1; Ps 22:1; Ps 39:1; Ps 62:1, ׳לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ מ לדוד שׁיר Ps 65:1, ׳למנצח לדוד מ Ps 40:1; Ps 109:1; Ps 139:1, שׁיר ׳למנצח לדוד מ Ps 68:1 also simply שׁיר ׳לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ מ Ps 67:1, ׳לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ שׁיר מ Ps 66:1 but also לבניֿ ׳קרח שׁיר מ Ps 48:1, שׁיר ׳לִבְנֵיקֹֿרַח מ Ps 87:1, לבני קרח ׳שׁיר מ לַמְֿנַצֵּחַמַ֗֗֗שְׂכִּיל לְהֵימָן הָאֶזְרָחִי Ps 88:1, לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ לבניֿ ׳קרח מ Ps 47:1; Ps 49:1; Ps 85:1, ׳למנצחל֗֗֗בניקֿרח מ Ps 84:1 further לְאָסָף ׳מ Ps 50:1; Ps 73:1; Ps 79:1; Ps 82:1, לאסף ׳שׁיר מ Ps 83:1, לאסף שׁיר ׳לַמְֿנַצֵּחַמ֗֗֗ Ps 75:1; Ps 76:1, לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ ֗֗֗ ׳לאסף מ Ps 77:1; Ps 80:1. [Summary: — ׳מ in 34 Psalms with לַמְֿנַצֵּחַ, of which 23 have לדוד also, 5 לבני קרח also, 4 לאסף, and 2 no proper name; in addition, in 13 Psalms with לדוד, 2 with לבני קרח, 5 with לאסף; in only 3 without either proper name or title; ׳מ is preceded by שׁיר 5 t., and following by שִׁיר 8 t.]

Strong's Definition H4210

psalm

mizmôr

properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notes

melody, psalm

Variations 2 forms of this word

Translations 3 English renderings

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Psalms 4:1

לְ	Speech Preposition
דָוִֽד	Speech Noun Type Proper Name