King James Bible Dictionary

Occurs only Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. The verb to "sing an hymn" occurs Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26. The same Greek word is rendered to "sing praises" Acts 16:25 (R.V., "sing hymns") and Hebrews 2:12. The "hymn" which our Lord sang with his disciples at the last Supper is generally supposed to have been the latter part of the Hallel, comprehending Psalms 113-118. It was thus a name given to a number of psalms taken together and forming a devotional exercise.

The noun hymn is used only with reference to the services of the Greeks, and was distinguished from the psalm. The Greek tunes required Greek hymns. Our information regarding the hymnology of the early Christians is very limited.

See Psalms; Song
Psalms; Song

a religious song or psalm. (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16) Our Lord and his apostles sung a hymn after the last supper. In the jail at Philippi, Paul and Silas "sang hymns" (Authorized Version "praises") unto God, and so loud was their song that their fellow prisoners heard them.

HYMN, noun hym. [Latin hymnus; Eng. hum.]song or ode in honor of God, and among pagans, in honor of some deity. A hymn among christians is a short poem, composed for religious service, or a song of joy and praise to God. The word primarily expresses the tune, but it is used for the ode or poem.

And when the had sung a hymn they went out to the mount of Olives. Matthew 26:30.

HYMN, verb transitive hym. To praise in song; to worship by singing hymns.

1. To sing; to celebrate in song. They hymn their maker's praise.

HYMN, verb intransitive hym. To sing in praise or adoration.

HYM'NED, participle passive Sung; praised; celebrated in song.

HYM'NIC, adjective Relating to hymns.

HYM'NING, participle present tense Praising in song; singing.

HYMNOL'OGIST, noun A composer of hymns.

HYMNOL'OGY, noun A collection of hymns.