ὕμνος

ὕμνος — hýmnos

ὕμνος, ὑμνου, ὁ, in Greek writings from Homer down, a song in praise of gods, heroes, conquerors (cf. Trench, as below, p. 297), but in the Scriptures of God; a sacred song, hymn: plural, Eph 5:19; Col 3:16. (1Ma 4:33; 2Ma 1:30 2Ma 10:7; (Jdg 16:13), etc.; of the Psalms of David, Josephus, Antiquities 7, 12, 3; for תְּהִלָּה, Psa 39:4; Psa 64:2; for שִׁיר, Isa 42:10.) [SYNONYMS: ὕμνος, ψαλμός, ᾠδή: ᾠδή is the generic term; ψαλμός and ὕμνος are specific, the former designating a song which took its general character from the O. T. 'Psalms' (although not restricted to them, see 1Co 14:15; 1Co 14:26), the latter a song of praise. "While the leading idea of ψαλμός is a musical accompaniment, and that of ὕμνος praise to God, ᾠδή is the general word for a song, whether accompanied or unaccompanied, whether of praise or on any other subject. Thus it was quite possible for the same song to be at once ψαλμός, ὕμνος and ᾠδή (Lightfoot on Col 3:16). The words occur together in Col 3:16 and Eph 5:19. See Trench, Synonyms, § lxxviii.]