“Todah” will be the third Hebrew word for praise that we will study in this article.
Hebrew word for praise, Todah
The word “praise” has 7 different words in Hebrew: halal, yadah, today, shabach, barak, zamar, and tehillah. It is important to distinguish each one because there are verses in the Bible where they appear to be the same word and meaning. But when referred to its original translation, we find that they don’t exactly mean the same.
Just like in Psalm 108:1,3, “O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise (zamar), even with my glory. I will praise (yadah) Thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises (tehillah) unto Thee among the nations.”
The English translation interpreted the three different Hebrew words for praise into the same word: praise.
The third Hebrew word for praise, Todah, means thanksgiving. It also means:
- Praise and thanksgiving
- The offering of thanks or sacrifice of thanksgiving
- Presentation of songs of thanksgiving and praise for God’s mighty acts
- Thanksgiving in song
“Todah” basically means responding to God in praise through thanking Him for all that He has done.
The blessing of wholeness
There is an illustration in the Bible where ‘todah’ was practiced. In Luke 17, Jesus encountered ten lepers and healed them all. But, only one came back to Jesus to offer Him thanks for the healing he received.
As he worshipped Jesus, Jesus blessed the former leper and declared him whole. Although the nine other lepers received healing, they did not receive the blessing of wholeness, unlike the one who offered todah.
So, when we offer our thanks to God, we are praising Him and at the same time receive His blessing.
Psalm 50:23 says, “Those who sacrifice thank offerings (todah) honor Me, and to the blameless, I will show my salvation.”
In Psalm 95:2, “Let us come before His Presence with thanksgiving (todah), and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.”
Psalm 50:14 says, “Offer unto God thanksgiving (todah) and pay thy vows unto the Most High.”
Reference: Youtube | Theo Heartsill
