Original Word: רוֹמְמָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: rowmmah
Pronunciation: roh-MAY-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (ro-mem-aw')
KJV: high
Word Origin: [feminine active participle of H7426 (רָמַם - To be high)]

1. exaltation, i.e. praise

high

Feminine active participle of ramam; exaltation, i.e. Praise -- high.

see HEBREW ramam

Word Origin
the same as romam, q.v.

[רוֺמֵמוּת] noun feminine uplifting, arising; — suffix מֵרוֺמְמֻתָ֑ךָ Isaiah 33:3 at thine arising.

Concept and Scope

רוֹמְמָה (Strong’s 7319) conveys the idea of exalted, lofty praise that lifts God high in word, song, and attitude. Though it appears only once in the Hebrew Scriptures, its theological weight is carried by the root רוּם (“to be high, exalted”) and by the context in which it stands: the climactic praise-psalm celebrating the LORD’s reign and His people’s triumph (Psalm 149).

Singular Biblical Occurrence

Psalm 149:6 captures the word’s entire canonical footprint: “May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands”. Here רוֹמְמָה is plural in form (“high praises”) but singular in focus—public, vocal, God-exalting celebration. It functions as a hinge between verses extolling worship (Psalm 149:1-5) and those describing victory over God’s enemies (Psalm 149:7-9).

Theology of Exaltation

רוֹמְמָה binds two inseparable biblical convictions:

1. God alone is worthy of the highest praise (Psalm 96:4; Revelation 4:11).
2. Exaltation of God positions His people to share in His triumph (Psalm 22:3; Psalm 34:3).

By placing “high praises of God” in the worshipers’ throats, Psalm 149 signals that true elevation of the LORD is not internal sentiment alone but audible proclamation within the covenant community (Psalm 40:9; Hebrews 13:15).

Worship and Warfare

The pairing of רוֹמְמָה with a “double-edged sword” (Psalm 149:6) has long shaped Israel’s and the Church’s understanding of spiritual warfare. Praise is portrayed not as a distraction from battle but as a divinely mandated strategy within it. This pattern is foreshadowed when Jehoshaphat’s singers go before the army and “the LORD set ambushes” (2 Chronicles 20:22). In New-Covenant terms, the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), joins believers’ verbal exaltation to God’s decisive intervention.

Historical and Liturgical Usage

Jewish tradition placed Psalm 149 among the daily Pesukei Dezimra (“Verses of Praise”), sung before the morning Shema, thereby ensuring that רוֹמְמָה shaped communal devotion. In post-exilic worship it likely accompanied trumpets and cymbals (Ezra 3:10-11), reinforcing the link between temple liturgy and national identity. Early Christian assemblies inherited this ethos, as attested by first-century hymnic fragments that exalt Christ and anticipate His victory (Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:6-11).

Messianic Trajectory

While Psalm 149 celebrates Israel’s military triumphs, its ultimate horizon is eschatological. Revelation 19:5-16 merges exuberant praise with the Rider on the white horse whose mouth bears a sharp sword. The “high praises” of redeemed saints anticipate the final vindication of Christ, the true Israel. Thus רוֹמְמָה foreshadows the consummate marriage of worship and judgment at the end of the age.

Practical Ministry Application

• Corporate Worship: Congregational singing that magnifies God’s attributes aligns modern assemblies with the biblical paradigm of רוֹמְמָה, fostering unity and spiritual boldness (Psalm 68:24-26).
• Personal Devotion: Believers are encouraged to cultivate daily “lofty praise,” using Scripture as language for exalting the LORD, thereby displacing fear and self-preoccupation (Psalm 103:1-5).
• Spiritual Warfare: Verbal, faith-filled exaltation of God’s supremacy is an active stance against spiritual opposition, complementing prayer and the proclamation of the Word (Acts 16:25-26).

Related Scriptures

Psalm 22:3 – “Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”

Psalm 34:1 – “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”

Isaiah 42:10 – “Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth.”

Hebrews 13:15 – “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.”

Summary

רוֹמְמָה epitomizes the grand, vocal exaltation that crowns God as King and arms His people for victory. Though its textual footprint is small, its theological and practical reach spans the canon, calling every generation to place “the high praises of God” in heart, mouth, and ministry.

רוֹמְמ֣וֹת רוממות rō·wm·mō·wṯ romMot rōwmmōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts