Bible Lexicons

ὕμνος, ὁ,

hymn, ode, in praise of gods or heroes (καί τι ἦν εἶδος ῳδῆς εὐχαὶ πρὸς θεούς, ὄνομα δὲ ὕμνοι ἐπεκαλοῦντο Pl. Lg. 700b; ὕμνους θεοῖς καὶ ἐγκώμια τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς Id. R. 607a, cf. Arist. Po. 1448b27), once in Hom., ἀοιδῆς ὕμνος Od. 8.429 (folld. by Demodocus' song of the Wooden Horse, 499 sqq.); ὕμνῳ νικήσαντα φέρειν τρίποδ' Hes. Op. 657; ἀνδρῶν τε παλαιῶν ἠδὲ γυναικῶν ὕμνον ἀείδουσιν h.Ap. 161; freq. in Pi., ὕμνος πολύφατος, ἐπικώμιος, etc., O. 1.8, N. 8.50, al.; Θήρωνος Ὀλυμπιονίκαν ὕμνον O. 3.3; and in B., ὑφάνας ὕμνον 5.10, cf. 6.11, al.; ὕμνοι θεῶν to or in honour of the gods, Pl. Lg. 801d; τιμῶν θεὰν ὕμνοισιν E. Hipp. 56; τοὺς χοροὺς.. καὶ τοὺς ὕ. τῷ θεῷ ποιεῖτε D. 21.51, cf. Pl. Smp. 177a; ὕμνοι Δαυείδ psalms of David, LXX 2 Chronicles 7:6; ψαλμοὶ καὶ ὕ. καὶ ᾠδαί Ephesians 5:19 : in Trag. also of mournful songs, addressed to gods or heroes, τὸν δυσκέλαδον ὕ. Ἐρινύος A. Th. 868 (lyr.), cf. Pers. 620, 625 (anap.), Ch. 475 (lyr.); ὕ. ἐξ Ἐρινύων, δέσμιος φρενῶν, ἀφόρμικτος Id. Eu. 331 (lyr.), cf. 306; ἐν ἀλύροις κλέοντες ὕμνοις E. Alc. 447 (lyr.); ὕ. Ἅιδου, of one whose songs are death, Phryn. Com.69 (lyr.). — On ὕμνοι of various kinds v. Men.Rh.p.333 S.; ὁ κυρίως ὕ. πρὸς κιθάραν ᾔδετο ἑστώτων Procl. Chr. ap. Phot. Bibl. p.320 B., cf. Did. ap. EM 777.9. [Most commonly ῡ, but only by position; ῠ proved by εὔῠμνος (q.v.), ῠμνῳδεῖ A. Ag. 990 (lyr.), ῠμνήσω E. Ba. 72 (lyr.).]

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, Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16. (1 Macc. 4:33; 2 Macc. 1:30 2Macc. 10:7; (Judges 16:13), etc.; of the Psalms of David, Josephus, Antiquities 7, 12, 3; for תְּהִלָּה, Psalm 39:4 (); Psalm 64:2 (); for שִׁיר, Isaiah 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 1 Corinthians 14:15, 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 Colossians 3:16). The words occur together in Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19. See Trench, Synonyms, § lxxviii.]

ὕμνος , -ου , ὁ ,

[in LXX for H8416, H5058, H7892, etc.;]

a hymn;

(a) in cl. a festal song in praise of gods or heroes;

(b) in LXX and NT a song of praise addressed to God: Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16.†

SYN.: ψαλμός G5568, that which is sung to a musical accompaniment; ᾠδή G5603, the generic term for song (cf. Tr., Syn., § LXXviii, Lft. on Colossians 3:16).