Topical Encyclopedia
The term "extol" is frequently used in the Bible to describe the act of praising or glorifying God with great enthusiasm and admiration. It is a call to elevate God's name and attributes, recognizing His supreme power, majesty, and goodness. The concept of extolling God is deeply rooted in the worship practices of the Israelites and is a recurring theme throughout the Scriptures.
Biblical Usage and ContextIn the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "extol" is "rum," which means to lift up or exalt. This term is used in various contexts to express the act of lifting God's name above all others, acknowledging His sovereignty and divine nature.
One of the most notable uses of "extol" is found in the Psalms, a book rich with expressions of worship and adoration.
Psalm 145:1-3 declares, "I will exalt You, my God and King; I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable." Here, the psalmist commits to a lifelong practice of extolling God, emphasizing His unmatched greatness.
Similarly,
Psalm 30:1 states, "I will exalt You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me." This verse highlights a personal reason for extolling God, acknowledging His deliverance and protection.
Theological SignificanceExtolling God is not merely an act of verbal praise but a reflection of the heart's posture towards the Creator. It involves recognizing God's attributes—His holiness, love, justice, and mercy—and responding with reverence and awe. The act of extolling is both a personal and communal expression of faith, often incorporated into worship services and liturgies.
In the New Testament, the concept of extolling God continues, though the specific term is less frequently used. The spirit of extolling is evident in passages that call believers to glorify God through their lives and actions. For instance,
1 Peter 2:9 encourages believers, saying, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." This verse underscores the believer's role in declaring God's praises, which is akin to extolling His virtues.
Practical ApplicationFor believers, extolling God is an integral part of daily life and worship. It involves both private devotion and public declaration, as seen in the practices of prayer, singing, and sharing testimonies of God's work. Extolling God serves to remind the faithful of His constant presence and active role in their lives, fostering a deeper relationship with Him.
Incorporating the practice of extolling into one's spiritual discipline can lead to a more profound appreciation of God's character and works. It encourages believers to focus on God's eternal nature and His ongoing involvement in the world, prompting a response of gratitude and worship.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To praise highly; to lift up; to elevate; as to extol one's virtues.
2. (v. t.) To elevate by praise; to eulogize; to praise; to magnify; as, to extol virtue; to extol an act or a person.
Greek
3170. megaluno -- to make or declare great ... or declare great. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: megaluno Phonetic Spelling:
(meg-al-oo'-no) Short Definition: I enlarge, magnify,
extol Definition: (a
... 5251. huperupsoo -- to exalt beyond measure
... 5251 (from 5228 , "beyond" and 5312 , "elevate") -- properly, elevate make exceedingly
high, ie to a very high degree; greatly exalt, extol; exalt to the ...
Strong's Hebrew
7311. rum -- to be high or exalted, rise... proud (1), boldly* (2), brought (1), contributed (5), defiantly* (1), display (1),
exalt (11), exaltation (1), exalted (29), exalts (5),
extol (5), extolled (1
... 7313. rum -- to rise
... extol, lift up self, set up. (Aramaic) corresponding to ruwm; (figuratively only) --
extol, lift up (self), set up. see HEBREW ruwm. 7312, 7313. rum. 7314 ...
5549. salal -- to lift up, cast up
... cast up, exalt self, extol, make plain, raise up. A primitive root; to mound
up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt; reflexively ...
2142. zakar -- remember
... 1), burns (1), call to mind (1), celebrate (1), certainly still remember (1), come
to remembrance (1), confess (1), consider (2), extol (1), invoke (1 ...
5375. nasa -- to lift, carry, take
... arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry
(away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive ...
Library
I Cannot More Illustrate the Sense, or Extol the Judgment...
... Address 80: I cannot more illustrate the sense, or extol the judgment?
I cannot more illustrate the sense, or extol the judgment ...
Montgomery. I Will Extol Thee, O Lord!
... 549. 6 & 5s. M. Montgomery. I Will Extol Thee, O Lord! 1 Yea, I will extol Thee,
Lord of Life and light! For Thine arm upheld me, Turned my foes to flight. ...
What is Meant by the Appellation "Angels?"
... Now that the Hierarchy itself has been, in my judgment, sufficiently defined, we
must next extol the Angelic Hierarchy, and we must contemplate, with ...
Letter Xlv (Circa AD 1140) to the Canons of Lyons, on the ...
... offspring. Extol the prodigy by which she brought into the world without
pain the Son, whom she had conceived without concupiscence. ...
Psalm 145
... First Version (CM). 8,6,8,6. ^1I'll thee extol, my God, O King; I'll bless thy name
always. ... With songs of praise they shall extol. thy perfect righteousness. ...
The Philosophers Advocates of Adultery.
... "But why? Do not the celebrated philosophers extol pleasure, and have they not had
intercourse with what women they would? ... Does not Epicurus extol pleasure? ...
Of Lucretia, who Put an End to Her Life Because of the Outrage ...
... dispute our position? But all know how loudly they extol the purity of Lucretia,
that noble matron of ancient Rome. When King Tarquin's ...
General Service to the Unmercenaries and Wonder-Workers.
... Him that hath granted from above unto His unmercenaries the gifts of healing -
gratuitously to cure diseases, - hymn the Lord and extol Him unto the ages. ...
The Title "Word" is to be Interpreted by the Same Method as the ...
... number of titles which are applied to the Son of God, as the writers of the Gospels
set forth their own views of what He is, or the Apostles extol Him out of ...
"The Sun of Righteousness"
... I would write the best of poems if so I could extol him, but the faculty is not
in me; I would sing the sweetest of songs, and compose the most melting music ...
Thesaurus
Extol (23 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To praise highly; to lift up; to elevate; as to
extol one's virtues.
... Multi-Version Concordance
Extol (23 Occurrences).
...Jah (44 Occurrences)
... Exodus 15:2 My strength and song is Jah, and he is become my salvation: This is
my ?God, and I will glorify him; My father's God, and I will extol him. ...
Magnify (25 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To increase the importance of; to augment the esteem or respect in which
one is held. 3. (vt) To praise highly; to land; to extol. ...
Psalm (213 Occurrences)
... public worship. 3. (vt) To extol in psalms; to sing; as, psalming his praises.
Multi-Version Concordance Psalm (213 Occurrences). Acts ...
Glorify (49 Occurrences)
... (DBY). Exodus 15:2 My strength and song is Jah, and he is become my salvation: This
is my God, and I will glorify him; My father's God, and I will extol him. ...
Yah (40 Occurrences)
... Psalms 68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides on
the clouds: to Yah, his name! Rejoice before him! (WEB). ...
Laud (4 Occurrences)
... 3. (vi) Music or singing in honor of any one. 4. (vi) To praise in words alone,
or with words and singing; to celebrate; to extol. Int. ...
Gloat (11 Occurrences)
... A Song for the Dedication of the Temple. By David. I will extol you, Yahweh, for
you have raised me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me. (See NIV). ...
Rides (10 Occurrences)
... (WEB DBY). Psalms 68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides
on the clouds: to Yah, his name! Rejoice before him! (WEB NAS RSV NIV). ...
Resound (8 Occurrences)
... 7. (vt) To praise or celebrate with the voice, or the sound of instruments; to extol
with sounds; to spread the fame of. 8. (n.) Return of sound; echo. ...
Resources
What does it mean to praise the Lord? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I learn to trust in the faithfulness of God? | GotQuestions.orgSummary of the Song of Solomon - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.orgExtol: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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