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The titles of the Psalms
All but thirty-four psalms have some title or heading, which gives useful information about the psalm. They are not considered as being inspired scripture, having been added later, probably in the time of Ezra, as instructions for the use of the psalm in worship. In the Hebrew Bible, they are counted as one of the verses of the psalm. Some titles may actually belong to the end of the previous psalm.
A full title consisting of six parts is only found in Psalm 60: 'To the leader' (assignment), 'According to the Lily of the Covenant' (music), 'A Miktam' (literary type), 'Of David' (author), 'For instruction' (purpose), 'When he struggled etc.' (Occasion = 2 Sam 8:13).
1. Assignment
Fifty-five psalms (and Hab 3:19) are assigned to the leader, choirmaster or chief musician. These are directions to the choirmaster, concerning musical directions, or a choirmaster's collection of psalms.
2. Music
These instructions indicated which instruments were to be used to accompany the singing of the psalm and which tune was to be used.
The following musical instruments are named:
“With stringed instruments” (Ps 4, 6, 54, 55, 67, 76) - the psalm is to be sung with accompaniment of stringed instruments.
“For the flutes” (Ps 5) - the psalm is to be sung with accompaniment of flutes or other wind instruments.
“According to The Sheminith" (Ps 6,12) - treble range or soprano, sung by women.
“According to Alamoth” (Ps 46, 1 Chr 15:20) - tenor or bass, sung by men, possibly an eight stringed lute played one octave lower than the Alamoth.
“According to Mahalath” (Ps 53,88) - the name either of a tune or an instrument. It is a female name in Gen 28:9 and 2 Chr 11:18. It may possibly be a ritual for the sick, or a lament as the word means sickness or grief.
The names of tunes are rather obscure to us, but were probably names of popular tunes of that time or specific types of music. Seventeen psalms have a tune assigned to them:
“According to Muth-labben” (Ps 9) means “about the death of a son”
“According to The Deer of the Dawn" (Ps 22) is probably a tune sung at daybreak.
“According to Lilies” (Ps 45,69,80, Song of Solomon 2:1).
“According to the lily of the covenant” (Ps 60).
“According to the Dove on Far-off Terebinths” (Ps 56) may refer to the previous psalm, where there is reference both to doves and the far distance (55:6-7). It could identify a tune by a well-known phrase of a song, sing Ps 56 to the tune of Ps 55. It may possibly be a reference to Lev 14:5-7, when one bird was sacrificed, and one bird released on the Day of Atonement.
“Do not Destroy” (Ps 57-59,75) was a popular saying (Is 65:8), perhaps from a vintage song (Dt 9:26).
“According to The Gittith” (Ps 8,81,84) could be a term connected with the wine vintage, sung at the feast of Tabernacles, or a reference to the journey of the ark from the Gittite's house to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:11), or an instrument or tune from Gath in Philistia.
3. Literary type
A number of different literary types are found. The most common is 'A Psalm', meaning a religious song with a musical accompaniment. It describes seventy-seven of the psalms (Ps 3-6, 8-10, 12-13, 15, 18-32, 34-41, 46-51, 61-70, 72, 73, 75-77, 79-85, 87-88, 92, 98, 100, 101, 103, 108-110, 138-141, 143-144).
Some are known as 'A Song', which is a more general term for a secular or religious song, not necessarily accompanied with music. It is found in fifteen psalms (Ps 18, 30, 46, 48, 65-68, 75, 76, 83, 87, 88, 92, 108).
'A Song of Ascents' are the literary type of fifteen pilgrim songs (Ps 120-134), sung on the way to Jerusalem on the processional ascent of the hill of the Lord (Is 30:29), or processional songs for festivals, probably sung by the exiles returning from Babylon. They were to be chanted by the Levites on the fifteen steps separating the court of men from the court of women in the temple, with one psalm sung on each step.
The meaning of 'A Maskil' is uncertain, perhaps being a contemplative or meditative psalm, for making a person wise or skilful, or a prayer for help, or elaborate music. There are thirteen psalms with this title (Ps 32, 42, 44-45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88-89, 142).
The meaning of 'A Miktam' is also uncertain. The root of the word miktam is to cover, so perhaps a psalm for atonement of sin, or otherwise a silent prayer. There are six of them (Ps 16, 56-60).
Five psalms have the title 'A Prayer' (Ps 17, 86, 90, 102, 142).
One psalm is titled 'Praise' (Ps 145), one 'A Covenant' (Ps 80), and one 'A Shiggaion' (Ps 7), which may either be wild ecstatic poetry stirring the emotions with irregular rhythm, or some connection with the sin offering. The remaining thirty-three psalms are unclassified (Ps 1, 2, 11, 14, 33, 71, 91, 93-97, 99, 104-107, 111-119, 135-136, 146-150).
4. Authorship
The most familiar author named in psalm titles is David, who wrote about half of the Book of Psalms, and the whole collection of psalms tends to be ascribed to David. He was called the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam 23:1), and the inventor of musical instruments (Amos 6:5). David is named as author of seventy-three psalms (Ps 3-32, 34-41, 51-65, 68-70, 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145). The New Testament attributes two other psalms to David: Ps 2 (Acts 4:25), and Ps 95 (Heb 4:7). David also composed other psalms in the OT, including a lament for Saul (2 Sam 1:19-27), and his last words (2 Sam 23:1-7).
Twelve psalms were written by The Korahites, who are the sons of Korah (Ps 42-49, 84-85, 87-88). These were a Levitical family, and the guild of temple singers (1 Chr 6:16-48). They were descendants of Korah, the grandson of Levi, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and were swallowed up by the earth, with Dathan and Abiram (Num 16, 26, Jude 11). Korah's sons were spared, and later one part of the family became the temple door-keepers and guardians (1 Chr 9:17), the other part of the family became singers and musicians of the temple choir, founded under David by Heman the Ezrahite.
Another twelve psalms were by Asaph (Ps 50, 73-83), who was a temple musician appointed by David as a leading singer and head of the choir (1 Chr 16:4,7). The sons of Asaph were a family choir, founded by Asaph (Neh 7:44).
Two psalms were by King Solomon (Ps 72, 127), the composer of 1005 songs (1 Kg 4:32, and writer of 3000 proverbs. Several people wrote only one psalm. One was Ethan the Ezrahite (Ps 89), who was probably the same person as Jeduthan, the founder of three choirs and one of the chief musicians appointed by David to lead public worship (1 Chr 16:41, 25:1-3). He is also mentioned in the titles of Ps 39, 62, 77. Another was Heman the Ezrahite (Ps 88), who was the founder of the choir known as the Sons of Korah, and was famed for his wisdom (1 Kg 4:31). One psalm was written by Moses (Ps 90). Psalm 91 may also be by him. One psalm was written by an anonymous author who described himself as 'One afflicted' (Ps 102).
The remaining forty-eight psalms have an unknown author (Ps 1-2, 33, 66-67, 71, 91-100, 104-107, 111-121, 123, 125-126, 128-130, 132-137, 146-150). Some may have been written by David. The Septuagint gives David as the author of Ps 33, Jeremiah as the author of Ps 137, and Haggai and Zechariah as the authors of Ps 146 and 147. Ps 119 has been attributed to Ezra, and the 'Songs of Ascents' (Ps 120-134) to Hezekiah.
5. Purpose
Only five psalms have a stated purpose, Ps 60 - 'For instruction', Ps 38, 70 - 'For the memorial offering remembrance', Ps 92 - 'For the Sabbath', Ps 102 - 'For one afflicted'.
6. Occasion
Each psalm had an occasion, an event which led to the composition of the psalm, similar to the letters. Fourteen psalms have the occasion stated in the title, all are events in the life of David. These are listed here in the order of events in David’s life:
| Ps 59 |
Saul ordered his house to be watched in order to kill him (1 Sam 19:11) |
| Ps 56 |
The Philistines seized him in Gath (1 Sam 21:11) |
| Ps 34 |
He feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away (1 Sam 21:13) |
| Ps 142 |
He was in the cave (of Adullam) (1 Sam 22:1) |
| Ps 52 |
When Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and said to him, "David has come to the house of Ahimelech" (1 Sam 22:9) |
| Ps 54 |
When the Ziphites went and told Saul, "David is in hiding among us" (1 Sam 23:18) |
| Ps 57 |
When he fled from Saul, in the cave (1 Sam 24:3) |
| Ps 7 |
Which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite (1 Sam 24:9) |
| Ps 18 |
Addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul (2 Sam 7:1) |
| Ps 60 |
When he struggled with Aram.., and when Joab on his return killed 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt (2 Sam 8:13-14) |
| Ps 51 |
When the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:13-14) |
| Ps 3 |
When he fled from his son Absalom (2 Sam 15:16) |
| Ps 63 |
When he was in the Wilderness of Judah (2 Sam 16:2) |
| Ps 30 |
At the dedication of the temple (2 Sam 24:25) |
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