From what is written, in the preceding Appendix
(64), it will be seen that, though the words "Psalm-Titles"
are used here in this Appendix in their ordinary traditional sense, our
understanding of them must be seriously modified; all the words used in them,
and explained below, occur in the sub-scription of the preceding
Psalm, and belong to that Psalm. It is there we have placed them in The
Companion Bible, and it is in those Psalms that we have to look for
their elucidation and find the key to the meaning of the words. Commentators who revered the Word of God have struggled to
find some logical, spiritual, or mystical meaning in these "titles";
while modern critics do not seem able to rise beyond musical instruments and
terminology, or "catch-words" of popular songs or tunes.
The Teaching, which is deep and grand beyond
all conception, they fritter down to some commonplace reference; while the Text,
which is clear, they mystify with their puerile guesses and vain imaginations.
We look for something more worthy of this work of the Holy
Spirit of God; something more worthy indeed of the Bible, regarding it merely as
a literary production. We look for something more dignified than a "tom-tom"
and we shall find it.
The words used in these sub-scriptions (which
no commentator of any repute regards as other than integral parts of Holy Writ,
being numbered, and forming as they do the first verse of each Psalm in the
Hebrew text, and actually quoted as Scripture in the New Testament) refer to
momentous truths, and not to musical terms; to teaching, and not to tunes; to
instruction, and not to instruments; to sense, and not to sound. They are for
those who have a heart for music, and not merely an ear for music; they are for
Enochs who walk with God, and not for Tubal-Cains who handle the harp and the
organ. They pertain to the things of the Spirit, and not to "things
made with hands".
We shall present these words and expressions in the
spelling, and in the order in which the Bible reader will look for them in this
Appendix, videlicet, in alphabetical order.
We may first note that thirty-four Psalms have no title at
all, and are without super-scription or sub-scription:
videlicet; Psalms 1, 2, 10, 33, 43, 71, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 104, 105,
106, 107, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 135, 136, 137, 146, 147,
148, 149, 150.
The words in the super-scriptions and sub-scriptions
are as follows, and are given in the spelling of the Authorized Version to which
English readers are accustomed.
This
title, which in the versions has stood in the super-scription of
Psalm 22, now finds its proper place and stands (in The Companion Bible)
as the sub-scription to Psalm 21.
The meaning given both in Authorized Version and Revised
Version is "the hind of the morning".
The Jewish commentators, Rashi ( The moment we regard it in the light of Psalm 21 instead of
Psalm 22, a new field of inquiry presents itself.
The expression is a Figure of speech common in the East,
and frequently met with in Arabian poetry.
It is used of the Day-Dawn, in which the
beams of light from the rising sun are seen shooting up (like horns) above the
horizon before the sun actually appears. It is used in Psalm 21 of the rays of
Messiah's coming glory, and tells of the dawn of His approaching coronation
which is the one great subject of Psalm 21. See Psalm
21 and the notes.
It is the same D
There
is no dispute or question as to the meaning of these words: 'Al =
relating to, or concerning, or connected with. 'Al has a wide
range of meaning, and we may select the one which lends itself best to the
context. As to 'Alamoth (fem. pl.), there is a consenus of opinion
that it can mean only damsels or maidens. Almah
occurs (in singular and plural) seven times in the Hebrew Old Testament, and is
rendered "virgin" in Genesis 24:43.
Song 1:3;
6:8.
Isaiah 7:14;
"maid" in Exodus 2:8.
Proverbs 30:19;
and "damsel" in Psalm 68:25.
The proper word for virgin is bethulah
(Genesis 24:16,
etc.), while 'almah denotes a young woman of marriageable age,
still under the care or others. Every bethulah
is an 'almah, but not every 'almah is, necessarily,
a bethulah.2
In the plural, therefore, 'alamoth can mean
only maidens. There is no need to think about music, or to
restrict the use of the word here to "a maidens choir",
standing, as it now must stand, as the sub-scription to Psalm 45,
and not as the super-scription on Psalm 46. There is no connection
between "maidens" and Psalm 46, but there are many
points in the subject-matter of Psalm 45 which link it on to that Psalm. There
are references to the "kings daughter", and "honourable
women" (verse There are special reasons, therefore, in the subject-matter
of Psalm 45, which connect it with that Psalm; and make it very appropriate
that, even if the Psalms were intended to be sung by maidens, such
singing need not be connected with the Temple or its services. There was processional
singing in the open air. And in
There
are four Psalms which have this sub-scription, videlicet; 56, 57,
58, and 74 (not Psalms 57, 58, 59, and 75, which in all the
versions have it as the super-scription).
The first three are David's the forth is by Asaph.
Two by David (56 and 57) are each connected with a crisis
in his life, while the third belongs to a peculiar time of trouble.
There is no dispute as to the meaning of the word.
It is rendered by Authorized Version and Revised Version as
"Destroy not". It is a cry of distress, a cry at a
crisis. But the cry is found, in the Psalms to which we have placed it,
as a sub-scription, and not in the others where it has formerly
stood as a super-scription.
Such a cry has been made by Moses at a great crisis (Exodus
32: For futher references to this sub-scription,
compare Psalms 56: David was a prophet (Acts 2:
There
are three Psalms which have this word in the sub-scription. They
are 7, 80, 83 (not 8, 81, and 84, over which they have hithereto stood as the super-scription).
There is no doubt about Gittith meaning winepresses;
from Gath (Judges 6: There will be no longer need to be troubled with such
guesses as "Gittite instruments" or "Gittite
guards", or "Levites of Gath-rimmon", which
are as meaningless as they are irrelevant. See further under Shoshannim
(No. XX, below).
As this word occurs in the Text, see Appendix 66. I.
JEDUTHUN
was one of the three directors (or the "chief Musicians")
of the Temple worship (1
Chronicles 16:41, 42;
25:1 - 6;
2
Chronicles 5:12;
35:15).
The three sons of Aaron were thus represented by the three men whose names occur
in this category. JEDUTHUN
was a descendent of MERARI
(1
Chronicles 26:10);
while ASAPH
was a descendant of GERSHOM;
and HEMAN
of KOHATH
.
J Since he is associated with those two men, it is going out
of one's way to create a difficulty by supposing Jeduthun to be "a
musical instrument", or the "name of a tune"
(Revised Version margin) or of a "measure".
There are three Psalms connected with J In By comparing these Psalms as set out in The Companion
Bible, the confusion, caused by two of these Pslams appearing to have
the names of two different authors, vanishes. The sub-scription of
each Psalm now stands "To the chief Musician - Jeduthun.
There
is only one Psalm with this sub-scription, that is to say, Psalm
55 (not Psalm 56, over which it has hitherto stood in other Bibles and Versions
as the super-scription or title).
There is a general agreement that this Title means "Relating
to the dove in the distant terebinths (or oaks)".
David is the "dove". He is far away in
the distant woods, moaning over the trouble that has come upon him through the
rebellion of Absalom, recorded in 2
Samuel 15 - 19.
There is no reference to a dove in Psalm 56, but there is in
Psalm 55:6.
In verse 2
he says, "I mourn in my complaint, and moan" (Revised
Version). In Isaiah 38:14,
Hezekiah, in trouble equally great, says "I did moan as a dove"
(the same words as in Psalm 55:17
(Revised Version). Compare Ezekiel 7:16,
where we have it again). David speaks further concerning this moaning in Psalm
55:4 - 8;
also in verses 16,
17. The
desertion of Ahithophel at this crisis is alluded to in verses 12
- 14. All
Psalms of, or "relating to David", refer to the true
David; so we may compare David's desertion with Christ's betrayal, and the end
of Ahithophel (2
Samuel 17:23)
with the end of Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:5
- 8. Acts
1:18, 19).
See number x, below.
This
word stands in The Companion Bible as the sub-scription
of Psalm 52, and not in the super-scription or title of Psalm 53,
as in all other Bibles and Versions.
The Septuagint translators could make nothing of the words
(there being no vowel points); so they simply transliterated the word, spelling
it maeleth, which has no meaning whatever. A This rendering, which takes the Hebrew as being M
These
words are found a the sub-scription to Psalm 87 in The
Companion Bible (not as the super-scription or title to
Psalm 88 over which it stands in all other Bibles and Versions).
M We have only to read the Psalm in the light of 1 Samuel 6:
This word is found in the super-scription
proper of thirteen Psalms (32, 42, 44 45, 52, 53, 54, 55, 74, 78, 88, 89, 142).
Unlike the "Michtam" Psalms (which
are all by David, see XII below), these are by various authors.
Six are by David (32, 52, 53, 54, 55, and 142).
Three are by the sons of Korah (42, 44, and 45).
Two are by Asaph (74 and 78).
One is by Heman the Ezrahite (88).
One is by Ethan the Ezrahite (89).
Maschil is from sakal, to look
at, to scrutinise, to look well into anything ( The first of these Psalms (32) gives the basis of all true
instruction and understanding. In verse "I will instruct thee
And teach thee in the way thou shouldest go...
Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no
understanding".
Or Psalm 44: The idea "to play skilfully"seems
trivial in comparison with such "instruction as this.
This
word is found (in all Versions of the Bible) in the super-scription
of six Psalms (16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60). All are by David. The last five form a
group by themselves.
See the Structure of "the Exodus Book"
(or the Second Book) of Pslams (page 759), where, in Group F The word Michtam is from Katam,
to cut in, or engrave, as in Jeremiah 2: The Septuagint renders it stelographia = a
sculptured writing. Hence stele = a sepulchral monument,
on account of the insription graven on it.
The word, therefore, points to a graven and
therefore a permanent writing; graven on account of its importance
(compare Job 19: The Authorized Version and Revised Version derive the word
from kethem gold, either from its being precious, or hidden away.
This meaning is not far out; but it lacks the raison
d'etre for this importance, which the other derivation gives in
connecting it with death and resurrection.
The Michtam Psalms are all pervaded by common
characteristic of being Personal, Direct, and more or less Private.
The reference is to David's Son and David's Lord; and
especially to His death and resurrection; or to a deliverance from imminent
danger, or death, or even from the grave itself. See Psalms 16:
This,
in The Companion Bible, stands now as the sub-scription
of Psalm 8, and not as the super-scription or title of Psalm 9, as
in other Bibles and Versions. All are agreed that muth can mean
only death. As to the other word labben, the matter
is not so simple. For ben means son, but there is
nothing about a "son" in either Psalm (8 or 9): and, as
it must relate (like the other Titles) to subject-matter, and not
to the name of a "song", or a "musical
instrument", there must be another explanation of ben.
Now ben may be beyn, written what is called "defective",
that is to say, without the full sign for its vowel (which is very often found
in Hebrew). In that case it would mean the separator, and thus be
related to bayin = "between" which is the
dual form of this word in the designation of Goliath in 1
Samuel 17:4, 23,
"the man between [the two hosts" of Israel and the
Philistines], or "the duellist". Hence, labben
("for the son") may be read labbeyn, "for
the duellist" or "the champion", or "the
one standing between". Indeed this is exactly how the words are
given in the ancient Jewish commentary called the Targum: "To
praise; relating to the death of the man who went between the camps".
That is to say, the champion, as he is called in 1
Samuel 17:4, 23.3
Read in this light, Psalm 8 stands out with quite a new
signification, seeing it relates to "the death of the champion",
Goliath of Gath.
We may compare with this Psalm 144, which in the Septuagint
version has this remarkalbe title, "by David, concerning Goliath":
in verse
See "Neginoth", No XV below, of which it is the singular.
This
word, in The Companion Bible, stands in the sub-scriptions
of eight Psalms, that is to say, 3, 5, 53, 54, 60 (singular), 66, 75, and
Habakkuk 3. (Not in the super-scriptions of Psalms 4, 6, 54, 55,
61 (singular with 'al instead of Beth), 67, and 76).
"Neginoth" is from nagan,
to strike, or smite. Hence it has hitherto been associated with the striking of
the strings of some musical instruments! But why should the striking be
connected with strings? Is there no other kind of smiting known?
Why may it not refer to the stroke of affliction, or smiting
with words? In deed, it is so associated in Lamentations 3:
This
word is found in The Companion Bible in the sub-scription
to Psalm 4 (not in the super-scription of Psalm 5 as in other
Bibles and Versions).
The word is N The Spetuagint has "concerning her that
inherits". A The same truth is seen in Psalm
144. See notes on verses
This
word is used in the super-scriptions forty-four times in all (Psalms 3, 4, 5, 6,
8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 29, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41, 47, 49, 50, 51,
62, 63, 64, 73, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 98, 100, 101, 109, 110, 139, 140, 141,
143. Of these, twenty-one are in Book I, seven in Book II, seven in Book III,
three in Book IV, and six in Book V.
Mizmor means, and is invariably rendered, "a
Psalm", and occurs nowhere but in the Psalm-Titles. It differs from Shir
(see below), which is "a Song": that is to say, for
singing, whereas Mizmor may be for meditation, etc.
Mizmor is joined with Shir in
thirteen Psalms (30, 65, 67, 68, 75, 76, 87, 92, preceeding it; and 48, 66, 83,
88, 108, following it).
This
word occurs in the sub-scription of two Psalms (5 and 11 in The Companion
Bible); not in the super-scription of Psalms 6 and 12, as in other
Bibles and Versions.
There is a general agreement that it means "the
eighth", and in its thirty-one occurrences it is always so rendered,
except in The Authorized Version puts "the eighth"
in the margin in all three cases. Revised Verison puts "the eighth"
only in the case of the two Psalms.
Though it is agreed that the word means "eighth",
it is not agreed as to what "the eighth" refers to. It
varies between "the eighth mode", "the
eighth (or octave) below" (that is to say, the bass), "the
eighth day", or year, or "an instrument with eight
strings".
The latter is out of the question, because, in But what class of men? The Talmud As all others in the procession were, in this sense, Sheminith,
and the Sheminith are distinguished from these as well as the 'Alamoth,
Dr. Thirtle concludes that it must refer, as well, to a division
in that procession. Everything points to divisional order in such processions
(compare Exodus 25: An examination of Psalms 5 and 11 show us that there is
special emphasis on "righteous worshippers" as distinct
from others. Compare 5:
This word occurs in the super-scription of Psalm 7 and in the super-scription of the prayer in Habakkuk 3:1, where it is in its right place. The scope of the Psalm guides Dr. Thirtle to the choice of sha'ag, to cry aloud, in trouble, danger or pain, and to discard shagah, which means to wander, or go astray. There is nothing in the Psalm to agree with the latter, and everything that points to the loud cry of David when he was in danger of being torn in pieces, and to the loud cries (pl.) of Habakkuk: of pain in verse 16 and of praise in verse 18.
This
word is found in the sub-scription of two Psalms, that is to say, 44 and 68, not
in the super-scription of Psalms 45 and 69, as it stands in other Bibles and
Versions.
We have already seen under "GITTITH"
(No, IV. above) that, as the spring and autumn were appropriately represented by
flowers and fruit respectively, so lilies and winepresses were singled out from
each.
The Passover and Feast of Tabernacles divided the year into
two fairly equal parts; the former being the spring festival and the latter the
autumn.
Israel is symbolized again and again by the vine Lilies and pomegranates (spring flowers and autumn fruits)
were everywhere seen in the Temple ( In the Jewish Prayer Book, at the Feast of Purim, Israel is
spoken of as "the lily of Jacob"; and at the Feast of
Dedication (Chanucha) God is praised for delivering "the
standard of the lilies" (that is to say, of Israel).
The Hebrew shekel had, on one side, sometimes a lamb
(Passover), and, on the other side, a wine-bowl (Tabernacles).
The half-shekel had a triple lily and a wine-bowl:
SILVER SHEKEL OF SIMON MACCABÆUS.
In
old Jewish cemeteries, tombs are seen with the seven-branched candlestick with
its knops and flowers, and sometimes with a triple lily and pomegranate.
Interpreters who are guided by tradition see in these
lilies only "poppy heads", betokening eternal sleep! and
"a round fruit" or husk from which the kernel (or
spirit) has fled! Thus Babylonian and Egyptian heathenism is forced to interpret
and replace Divine Biblical symbols. But we may ask in this case: "Does
not the lily say, 'Here lies one of Jehovah's redeemed'?
and the pomegranate, 'Here lies one safe in Jehovah's keeping'"?
Read, now, the two Shoshannim Psalms (44 and
68), and the Passover story will be seen in all its fulness and beauty.
This
title is found in the sub-scription of Psalm 79 in The
Companion Bible (not the super-scription of Psalm 80, as
in other Bibles and Versions), while SHUSHAN
(singular) EDUTH
is found in the sub-scription of Psalm 59 in The Companion
Bible (not the super-scription of Psalm 60, as in other
Bibles and Versions).
The first of these two words refers to the Spring Festival
(see under XXI above), the latter refers to some testimony concerning it. There
is no dispute as to the 'Eduth meaning "testimony".
It is one of "the ten words" found twenty-three times in
Psalm 119 (see Appendix
73). But what is the "testimony" to which these two
Psalms refer? It must be concerning something connected with the Spring Festival
(Passover), and Dr. Thirtle sees in it the Law and the "Testimony"
respecting the keeping of the Passover in the second month, when,
under special circumstances, it could not be kept in the first
month (see Numbers 9: In any case, this interpretation is more reasonable, and
more worthy of the dignity of the Scared Text than the unsupported guesses as to
its being the name of "a popular song", or "the
name of a tune", or a choir whose President lived at Shushan.
Is always the rendering of Shir, and denotes words that are to be sung, as distinct from Mizmor (see No. XVII above). It is joined with Mizmor thirteen times (see above). It is used by itself fifteen times (in the Songs of the degrees); and in Psalms 18 (shirah), 45 (with Maschil), and 46.
1 These facts have been discovered, and admirably set forth by Dr. J. W. Thirtle, in his two works on this subject, videlicet, The Titles of the Psalms: their Nature and Meaning explained (1904), and Old Testament Problems (1907). Both published by Henry Frowde, Oxford Bible Warehouse, London.
2 The Greek word parthenos, in Matthew 1:23, shows that the 'almah of Isaiah 7:14 must have been a virgin. The Septuagint also renders 'almah by parthenos in Isaiah 7:14.
3 The word "champion" in verse 51 is not the same word, but gibbor. See Appendix 14. IV.
4 Yebamoth 43b. compare 53b. Yebamoth is the first of seven treatises in the third book (Nashim) which treats of the distinctive rights of men and women.
5 Josephus, Ant. i. 12.
6 Psalm 80:8. Isaiah 5:1 -7; 27:2 - 6. Jeremiah 2:21; 12:10. Hosea 10:1, etc.