Psalms 150:3

with the sound of the trumpet With blast of cornet. The -cornet," originally a ram's or cow's horn, perhaps in later times a metal instrument of the same shape, was mainly employed for secular purposes, while the instrument generally used in religious ceremonies was the chatsôtserâhor straight metal trumpet. Cp. however Psalms 47:5; Psalms 81:3; Psalms 98:6. It was ordinarily the work of the priests to blow the trumpet (1 Chronicles 15:24; Nehemiah 12:35; Nehemiah 12:41; and often); Levites are often described as playing psalteries and harps and cymbals (1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:6; Nehemiah 12:27); tambourines were beaten by women as they danced (Psalms 68:25); the terms used for stringed instruments and pipes are not elsewhere connected with religious ceremonies. Thus the call to praise is addressed to priests, Levites, and people; and every kind of instrument is to be enlisted in the service.

psaltery and harp Or, harp and lyre. The nçbheland the kinnôrwere both stringed instruments, but the precise distinction between them is unknown. There are some reasons for thinking that the nçbhel(A.V. psalteryin the Historical Books and Psalms [92], violin the Prophets) was the larger and more elaborate instrument. See Driver's Joel and Amos, p. 234; and for illustrations of ancient lyres and harps, see Stainer, Music of the Bible, Chaps. i, ii.

[92] These books were in the hands of the Westminster and Cambridge companies, and the Westminster company consisted mainly of Cambridge scholars, while the Prophets were in the hands of an Oxford company. In the Apocrypha also, which was revised by a Cambridge company, psalteryis used, but not viol.