This Is Appendix 65 From The Companion Bible.
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:
(relating to the Autumn Feast of Tabernacles).
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.
The Dove in the distant Terebinths.
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.
(The great Dancing).
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
(The great Dancing and Shouting).
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:
Understanding or Instruction (Public.)
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.
(Engraven).
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:
(The Death of the Champion).
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.
(Smitings).
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:
(Inheritances, or The Great Inheritance).
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
(Hebrew Mizmor).
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).
See Appendix 66. II.
(The Eighth Division.)
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:
(A crying aloud).
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.
(Lilies, or The Spring Festival, Passover).
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.
(Instruction as to the Spring Festival, or the Second Passover.)
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.