CHAPTER II.
Psallo as Defined by the Lexicons.

That we may have a clear and comprehensive view of the history and meaning of this famous word, we now appeal to that important and most interesting class of authorities embraced in the broad field of Greek lexicography; and that our conclusions may rest upon a solid basis of fact, we appeal to all the authorities occupying this field as far as we have been able, by a diligent and prolonged search, to gain access to them. They are summoned from all ranks regardless of their theological training and affiliation. In fact, in order that our induction of testimony from this source may be impartial and complete, we shall call on some witnesses from this class to testify who do not occupy a place in the highest rank as authorities. To speak plainly, a few of them are not standard authorities at all. They are quoted in this work, not because their testimony either strengthens or in any way materially affects the case one way or the other, but simply because they are relied on and sometimes appealed to in discussions of the question by persons of respectable standing and ability, and it is earnestly desired in the prosecution of the present inquiry, to leave no stone unturned in the search for facts.

But while it is thought best, for the reason stated, to include such witnesses in the present work, the reader will find that, in addition to these, the list contains, also, by the unanimous consent of scholars, the very highest authorities in existence. The author has spared no pains in the search for authorities in this field; and, so far as lexical authority is concerned, it is confidently believed that the list herewith presented will give the reader access to what may be justly regarded as the voice of scholarship in the English-speaking world of to-day. Truth is the exclusive object of our search, and the testimony of witnesses is cheerfully welcomed and impartially considered, regardless of the side on which its weight may seem to fall.

A careful survey of the field of evidence furnished by lexicographers of every grade has led the author to the decided conviction that there is not a solitary fact in all history touching the meaning of psallo which, considered in the light of its proper connection and bearing, can be legitimately used to sustain the practice of instrumental music in the worship of God under Christ. On the contrary, the testimony of the very lexicons sometimes offered to sustain the practice only confirms, when properly examined and weighed, the position defended in this volume, namely, that in the evolution of the Greek language during the course of centuries, the term underwent several changes and modifications. Moreover, we shall see that this view of the question is confirmed [8] by the very highest lexical authorities in existence to-day.

There is a right way, and there is a wrong way to use lexicons; and it is not strange that young minds, uninformed concerning the evolution of words in the history of a language, should be misled by, and hence misapply, a definition which they find in a lexicon. It would be an easy matter for a beginner in the study of the English language to make this mistake in the use of English dictionaries. Lexicons are neither commentaries nor histories, and yet it is their business to furnish examples of the varied use and application of words, and such examples become at once an index to the history of the words thus defined. This shows that, in unskillful hands, a lexicon may be so used as to appear to disprove what it really proves, and, vice versa, to prove what it really disproves. Hence, next to the value of a lexicon itself, is the importance of knowing how to use it. Later on we shall have further use for what these distinguished authorities in the field of lexicography have to say, but, first of all, the reader's attention is invited to their definitions which have been copied with special care for this work, and in nearly every instance they have been copied under the direct supervision of the author himself. The quotations as here given can, therefore, be relied on as strictly correct. The aim in this chapter is simply to present a collation of the definitions as given by the lexicons, and no stress is laid upon the mere order [9] in which they are quoted. We shall now hear, in their own words, these distinguished witnesses on the meaning of psallo.

I. Liddell and Scott: "ψαλλω [psallo], to touch sharply, to pluck, pull, twitch, to pluck the hair, of the bowstring, to twang it; to send a shaft twanging from the bow; so, σχοινος μιλτοφυρης ψαλλομενη a carpenter's red line, which is twitched and then suddenly let go, so as to leave a mark. II. mostly of the string of musical instruments, to play a stringed instrument with the fingers, and not with the plectron. 2. later, to sing to a harp; Lxx. (Ps. 7: 17; 9: 11; al.), Eph. 5: 19; 1 Cor. 14: 15. 3. to be struck or played; to be played to on the harp."

The noun psalmos (ψαλμος): "a touching sharply, a pulling, twitching or twanging with the fingers. II. mostly of musical strings. 2. the sound of the cithara or harp. 3. later, a song sung to the harp, a psalm, Lxx., N. T."

II. Robinson: "ψαλλω [psallo], to touch, to twitch, to pluck, e. g. the hair or beard; also a string, to twang, e. g. the string of a bow; especially of a stringed instrument of music, to touch or strike the chords. Hence oftenest absolutely ψαλλειν, to touch the lyre or other stringed instrument, to strike up, to play. In Septuagint and New Testament to sing, to chant, properly as accompanying stringed iustruments.

In the noun form, psalmos (ψαλμος): "a touching, twang, e. g. of a bowstring; of stringed instruments, [10] a playing, music; tone, melody, measure, as played. In later usage, song, properly as accompanying stringed instruments. 1. a psalm, a song, in praise of God; 1 Cor. 14: 26; Eph. 5: 19; Col. 3: 16. 2. specifically Plural the Psalms, the book of Psalms."

III. Pickering: "ψαλλω [psallo], to touch gently; to touch or play on a stringed instrument; to cause to vibrate; to play; to celebrate with hymns; to pull or pluck, as the hair."

The noun, psalmos (ψαλμος): "the twang of a bowstring; striking the chords of a musical instrument; playing and singing to the psaltery; a psalm, an ode, a hymn."

IV. Groves: "ψαλλω [psallo], to touch, strike softly; to play on the harp; to sing to the harp; to praise, celebrate."

"ψαλμος [psalmos], a singing to or playing on the harp; the sound of a stringed instrument; a psalm, hymn."

V. Donnegan: ψαλλω [psallo], to touch and cause to move or cause vibration; to touch, as the string of a bow, and thus, discharge an arrow, or the strings of a musical instrument, and play; (with κιθαραν understood) to play on the harp (when the 'plectrum' is used, the term is κρεκω)--to scrape; to pull or pluck, as the hair."

"ψαλμος [psalmos], properly, the act of touching and putting in motion; the act of touching the string of a bow, and letting fly an arrow; also, the touching of the chords of a musical instrument, a playing on [11] a harp, or similar instrument (see ψαλλω)--an air played on a harp, Pindar, also by later writers, a hymn, or ode sung accompanied by a harp."

VI. Parkhurst: "ψαλλω [psallo], 1. To touch, touch lightly, or perhaps to cause to quaver by touching. 2. To touch the strings of a musical instrument with the finger or plectrum, and so cause them to sound or quaver. So musicians who play upon an instrument are said χορδας ψαλλειν, to touch the strings, or simply ψαλλειν. And because stringed instruments were commonly used both by Believers and Heathen in singing praises to their respective Gods, hence 3. To sing, sing praises or psalms to God, whether with or without instruments. Rom. 15: 9; 1 Cor. 14: 15; Eph. 5: 19; Jas. 5: 13.

"ψαλμος [psalmos], 1. A touching or playing upon a musical instrument. 2. A psalm, a sacred song or poem, properly such an one as is sung to stringed instruments. See Luke 20: 42; 1 Cor. 14: 26."

VII. Dunbar: "ψαλλω [psallo], to touch gently; to touch or play on a stringed instrument; to sing; to celebrate with hymns."

"ψαλμος [psalmos], the twang of a bowstring; a playing on a stringed instrument, singing to the psaltery; a psalm; a song."

VIII. Bagster: "ψαλλω [psallo], to move by a touch, to twitch; to touch, strike the strings or chords of an instrument; absolutely to play on a stringed instrument; to sing to music; in New Testament to [12] sing praises, Rom. 15: 9; 1 Cor. 14: 15; Eph. 5: 19; Jas. 5: 13."

"ψαλμος [psalmos], impulse, touch, of the chords of a stringed instrument; in New Testament a sacred song, psalm, 1 Cor. 14: 26; Eph. 5: 19, et al."

IX. M. Wright: "ψαλλω [psallo], I cause vibration, touch; discharge an arrow; scrape; pluck."

"ψαλμος [psalmos], playing on a harp; air played on a harp, hymn; twang of a string.

X. W. Greenfield: ψαλλω [psallo], to touch, strike the strings or chords of an instrument; hence absolutely to touch or strike the chords, play on a stringed instrument, namely, as an accompaniment to the voice; by implication to sing, and with a dative of person, to sing in honor or praise of, sing praises to, celebrate in song or psalm, Rom. 15: 9; 1 Cor. 14: 15; Eph. 5: 19; Jas. 5: 13.

"ψαλμος [psalmos], impulse, touch, of the chords of a stringed instrument; an ode, song; a sacred song, psalm, 1 Cor. 14: 26; Eph. 5: 19."

XI. Yonge--English-Greek Lexicon: "To play, νηπιαχευω; αθυρω; παιζω. To play on an instrument, see above; also μιλπομαι; κρεκω; ψαλλω (only of playing on stringed instruments)."

XII. Contopoulos' New Greek-English and English-Greek: "ψαλλω [psallo], v. a. v. n. to sing, to celebrate; (μεταφ.) του ταψαλα, I gave him a good lecture."

--"ψαλμωδος, a psalmist, a singer of psalms, a bard, a minstrel."

XIII. Edward Maltby's Greek Gradus: "ψαλλω (psallo) to strike gently, 2. to pull the string of a bow, or of a harp. 3. to praise."

XIV. Hamilton: "ψαλλω [psallo], to touch, pull, pluck, cause to vibrate, play on a stringed instrument, sing."

"ψαλμως [psalmos], playing on a harp, twang of a string, strain of music, hymn, song."

XV. Thayer: "ψαλλω [psallo], a. to pluck off, pull out: εθειραν, the hair. b. to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang: specifically to touch or strike the chord, to twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate; and absolutely to play on a stringed instrument, to play the harp, etc.; Septuagint for niggēn and much oftener for zimmēr; to sing to the music of the harp; in the New Testament to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song, Jas. 5: 13; in honor of God, Eph. 5: 19; Rom. 15: 9; ψαλω τω πλευματι, ψαλω δε και τω νοι, 'I will sing God's praises indeed with my whole soul stirred and borne away by the Holy Spirit, but I will also follow reason as my guide, so that what I sing may be understood alike by myself and by the listeners,' 1 Cor. 14: 15."

"ψαλμως [psalmos], a striking, twanging; specifically a striking the chords of a musical instrument; hence a pious song, a psalm (Septuagint chiefly for mizmōr), Eph. 5: 19; Col. 3: 16; the phrase εχειν ψαλμον is used of one who has it in his heart to sing or recite a song of the sort, 1 Cor. 14: 26; one of the songs [14] of the book of the Old Testament which is entitled ψαλμοι, Acts 13: 23."

XVI. Sophocles: "ψαλλω [psallo], to chant, sing religious hymns. Sept. Judic. 5: 3. Paul. 1 Cor. 14: 15. Jacob. 5: 13."

"ψαλμως [psalmos], psalm."

XVII. Thomas Sheldon Green: "Ψαλλω [psallo] to move by a touch, to twitch; to touch, strike the strings or chords of an instrument; absolutely to play on a stringed instrument; to sing to music; in New Testament, to sing praises, Rom. 15: 9; 1 Cor. 14: 15; Eph. 5: 19; Jas. 5: 13: whence

"Ψαλμως, impulse, touch, of the chords of a stringed instrument; in New Testament, a sacred song, psalm, 1 Cor. 14: 26; Eph. 5: 19, et al."

We now have before us the definitions of seventeen Greek-English Lexicons. For the sake of avoiding a circumlocution in the translation of definitions, we have omitted from the list all of the lexicons whose definitions are in Latin or any other language than English. However, a faithful translation of all of these would yield no substantial variation in meaning from those given by the Greek-English Lexicons. Hence, in the definitions already presented, we have substantially the combined testimony of all extant Greek lexicography on the meaning of psallo.

One of the first things likely to strike the reader is the great number and variety of meanings which, as now seen in the lexicons, the word psallo has borne at one time or another during its history. Furthermore, [15] these meanings, as will be seen, are not only diverse one from another, but some of them seem, at first sight, to be wholly foreign to each other. However, we shall find, upon close examination, that they all carry with them, either literally or figuratively, the one original and unvarying idea denoted by the word. Let these facts all be noted with care, for we shall have use for them later on in our investigation.

The reader will also please note the fact that, in the midst of this variety of meanings, the learned authorities quoted testify, with great unanimity and clearness, that psallo, at some time during its history, signified touching the chords of a musical instrument, and hence that it meant to make instrumental music. It is here frankly conceded that the word once had this meaning, and it is the author's wish that this fact shall have all the weight to which it is entitled in the present inquiry. Truth has nothing to fear either from a candid admission of facts, or from the most searching and rigid investigation, and its friends and advocates should be willing at all times to admit a fact, when it is seen to be a fact. These numerous and various definitions will be clearly and fully accounted for in due time, and the reader will then be prepared to see how they all combine to support the position contended for in the present volume. A final verdict on the main question at issue should be withheld till all the facts are heard from.

In the meantime, as an aid to a proper appreciation of the argument from the lexicons, we present here a summary of their definitions:

1. Radical meaning, TO TOUCH, regardless of the particular object touched, the latter not inhering in the word.

2. Meanings as applied in Greek literature:

(1) To pluck the hair.

(2) To twang the bowstring.

(3) To twitch a carpenter's line.

(4) To touch the chords of a musical instrument, that is, to make instrumental music.

(5) To touch the chords of the human heart, that is, to sing, to celebrate with hymns of praise.

3. Thus, according to the lexicons, here are five separate and distinct meanings of psallo (ψαλλω) growing out of the original idea, all of which it has borne at one time or another during the progress of the centuries. Now, in view of these facts, what shall we say is the meaning of this word? Out of five well-defined and distinct meanings, shall we select one of them, and then affirm, regardless of the time when used, or any other circumstance, that this is the meaning of the word? If so, which one of the five meanings shall it be, and why? As we have them here numbered, shall it be the first one? If so, why so? If not, why not? According to the highest standard authorities, the word at one time meant "to pluck the hair." Now, when Christians assemble to worship God, may they proceed, Nehemiah-like (Neh. [17] 13: 25), "to pluck off their hair" as a part of that worship? If not, why not? Does the reader say that such an act in the worship of God would be silly? We reply that it would, indeed, be silly, and sinful, too, for that matter, but certainly not because that was not a meaning of psallo. Such worshipers could promptly defend themselves by appealing both to the Greek lexicons and to the Bible. They could show from standard Greek lexicons that "psallo" had that meaning, and that the New Testament authorizes them, if we may accept a coined word, to "psallo."

The same course could be pursued with reference to the second and third meanings, which are "to twang the bowstring" and "to twitch a carpenter's line." Both of these were meanings of "psallo" vouched for by lexicons of the highest authority. May we, therefore, contend for twanging the bowstring and twitching the carpenter's line in the worship of God? If not, why not? If it be replied that these are meanings which the word had before the New Testament period, but that in the New Testament it has no such meaning, then we reply by admitting the fact, and making the point that this is precisely what is true of the fourth meaning also. This fact will abundantly appear as our investigation proceeds.

In the meantime, we now see the necessity for wise discrimination in the use of lexicons, and that it does not follow, because a given definition of a word appears in a lexicon, that therefore the word always had, and still has, that meaning.