Explain Bible

What does the Bible say about clapping hands?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible portrays clapping hands as an expressive gesture that may celebrate God's kingship and saving work, rejoice in his coming redemption, or, in other settings, scorn and applaud judgment. Psalm 47:1 calls all peoples to clap and shout joyfully because God is the great King over all the earth. Psalm 98:8 and Isaiah 55:12 use poetic images of creation joining in praise for the Lord's salvation and restoration. Yet Ezekiel 25:6, Job 27:23, and Nahum 3:19 show clapping as hostile delight over another's downfall, which God condemns or records as judgment. Christians therefore may use such outward expressions freely when they arise from reverent, God-centered joy, not spectacle, contempt, or self-exaltation.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Psalms 47:1

    > Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

  • Psalms 98:8

    Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.

  • Psalms 47:1-9

    [1] > Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph! [2] For Yahweh Most High is awesome. He is a great King over all the earth. [3] He subdues nations under us, And peoples under our feet. [4] He chooses our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. [5] God has gone up with a shout, Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet. [6] Sing praise to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our King, sing praises. [7] For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding. [8] God reigns over the nations. God sits on his holy throne. [9] The princes of the peoples are gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!

  • Ezekiel 25:6

    For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have clapped your hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the despite of your soul against the land of Israel;

  • Isaiah 55:12

    For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.

  • Job 27:23

    Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.

  • Psalms 150:1-6

    [1] Praise Yah! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power! [2] Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness! [3] Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre! [4] Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute! [5] Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals! [6] Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!

  • Job 34:37

    For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God."

  • Nahum 3:19

    There is no healing your wound, for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you; for who hasn't felt your endless cruelty?

  • 2 Kings 11:12

    Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and [gave him] the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, [Long] live the king.

Related topics

Go deeper

Ask Explain Bible AI about clapping hands and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.

Ask what the Bible says about clapping hands