אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים שִׁ֣יר חָ֭דָשׁ אָשִׁ֣ירָה לָּ֑ךְ בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּֽךְ׃
Ya Allah, aku hendak menyanyikan nyanyian baru bagi-Mu; dengan gambus sepuluh tali aku hendak bermazmur bagi-Mu.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 8:5-6:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses saying], ‘Take the Levites.’” Let our master instruct us: How many strings were on the harp which the Levites played?1Numb. R. 15:11. So said R. Judah:2T‘Arakh. 2:7; ‘Arakh. 13b. There were seven (shb') strings on that harp, as stated (in Ps. 16:11), “In Your presence there is fullness (rt.: sb')3Since the S here is a Hebrew sin in the unpointed text SB‘ is identical with ShB‘. of joy.” Do not read [the word pointed as] sova' ("fullness") but [as] sheva' ("seven"). So also did David say (in Ps. 119:164), “With seven a day do I praise You.4M. Pss. 81:3; PR 21:1. A more traditional translation of Ps. 119:164 would read: SEVEN TIMES A DAY DO I PRAISE YOU. Moreover, in the days of the messiah it will be made with eight [strings]. Therefore David has stated concerning the instrumental music (in Ps. 6:1), “For the leader; with instrumental music on the eight-stringed harp.” Furthermore in the future it will be made of ten [strings] as stated (in Ps. 144:9), “O God, let me sing to You a new song; let me play for You on a ten-stringed harp.” And who ordained them? Samuel and David, as stated (in I Chron. 9:22), “David and Samuel the seer ordained them in their office of trust.” Moreover, they [were the ones who] set up the divisions for singing. Now the Levites would stand on their platform and sing before the One who spoke for the world to come into being. See the love with which the Holy One, blessed be He, loved the Levites. So from the beginning the Holy One, blessed be He, chose them to serve Him. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “The Levites are extremely dear to Me. Take them in My name for a position of authority.” From where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 8:6), “Take the Levites.”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Numb. 8:5-6:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE <UNTO MOSES SAYING>: TAKE THE LEVITES. Let our master instruct us: How many strings were on the harp which the Levites played?32Tanh. Numb. 3:7; Numb. R. 15:11} Thus did R. Judah teach:33T‘Arakh. 2:7; ‘Arakh. 13b. There were seven (shB') strings on that harp, as stated (in Ps. 16:11): IN YOUR PRESENCE THERE IS FULLNESS (rt.: SB')34Since the S here is a Hebrew sin in the unpointed text SB‘ is identical with ShB‘. OF JOY. Do not read <the word pointed as> sova' ("fullness") but <as> sheva' ("seven"). So also did David say (in Ps. 119:164): WITH SEVEN A DAY DO I PRAISE YOU.35M. Pss. 81:3; PR 21:1. A more traditional translation of Ps. 119:164 would read: SEVEN TIMES A DAY DO I PRAISE YOU. Moreover, in the days of the Messiah it will be made with eight <strings>. Therefore David has stated concerning the instrumental music (in Ps. 6:1): FOR THE LEADER; WITH INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ON THE EIGHT-STRINGED HARP. Furthermore in the age to come it will be made of ten <strings> as stated {SING TO GOD A NEW SONG…. }36No Psalm has exactly these words but SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG…. appears in Pss. 96:1; 98:1; and 149:1; as well as in Is. 42:10. [(in Ps. 144:9): O GOD, LET ME SING TO YOU A NEW SONG; LET ME PLAY FOR YOU ON A TEN-STRINGED HARP.] And who ordained them? Samuel and David. It is so stated (in I Chron. 9:22): DAVID AND SAMUEL THE SEER ORDAINED THEM IN THEIR OFFICE OF TRUST. Moreover, they <were the ones who> set up the divisions for singing. Now the Levites would stand on their platform and sing before the one who spoke for the world to come into being. See the love with which the Holy One loved the Levites. So from the beginning the Holy One chose them to serve him. Therefore, the Holy One said to Moses. Levites are extremely dear to me. Take them in my name for a position of authority. {Thus it is stated:} [From where is it shown? From what they read on the matter] (in Numb. 8:6): TAKE THE LEVITES.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and purify them” (Numbers 8:6).
“Take the Levites” – Halakha, how many strings were on the lute that the Levites would play? Rabbi Yehuda said: There were seven strings on the lute, as it is stated: “Abundant [sova] joy in Your presence, [eternal] pleasure” (Psalms 16:11). Do not read it as abundant, but rather as seven [sheva] joys. Likewise, David said: “Seven times a day do I praise You for Your righteous ordinances” (Psalms 119:164). But in the messianic era it will become eight, as David said regarding the melody: “For the conductor: With instrumental music on the eight-stringed lute” (Psalms 6:1). And in the future it will become ten, as it is stated: “God, I will sing a new song to You on a ten-stringed harp” (Psalms 144:9).
Who instituted it for them? It was Samuel and David, as it is stated: “It was they who were established, by David and Samuel the seer, in their entrusted task [be’emunatam]” (I Chronicles 9:22).6It is expounded as though it were beomanutam, their music. And they established the divisions for song. The Levites would stand on the platform and sing before the One who spoke and the world came into being. See the love that the Holy One blessed be He loved the Levites. So said the Holy One blessed be He to Moses: ‘The Levites are greatly beloved before Me. Take them for a position of authority in My name.’ From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding that matter: “Take the Levites.”
“Take the Levites” – Halakha, how many strings were on the lute that the Levites would play? Rabbi Yehuda said: There were seven strings on the lute, as it is stated: “Abundant [sova] joy in Your presence, [eternal] pleasure” (Psalms 16:11). Do not read it as abundant, but rather as seven [sheva] joys. Likewise, David said: “Seven times a day do I praise You for Your righteous ordinances” (Psalms 119:164). But in the messianic era it will become eight, as David said regarding the melody: “For the conductor: With instrumental music on the eight-stringed lute” (Psalms 6:1). And in the future it will become ten, as it is stated: “God, I will sing a new song to You on a ten-stringed harp” (Psalms 144:9).
Who instituted it for them? It was Samuel and David, as it is stated: “It was they who were established, by David and Samuel the seer, in their entrusted task [be’emunatam]” (I Chronicles 9:22).6It is expounded as though it were beomanutam, their music. And they established the divisions for song. The Levites would stand on the platform and sing before the One who spoke and the world came into being. See the love that the Holy One blessed be He loved the Levites. So said the Holy One blessed be He to Moses: ‘The Levites are greatly beloved before Me. Take them for a position of authority in My name.’ From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding that matter: “Take the Levites.”