discussed in the introductions to the Psalms to which they belong.

1. Titles descriptive of the character of the poem.

Psalm1. Mizmor, rendered Psalm, is a technical term found only in the titles of the Psalter2. It is prefixed to 57 Psalms, and with few exceptions is preceded or followed by the name of the author, generally that of David. The verb from which mizmōr is derived occurs frequently in the Psalter (e.g. vii. 17, xlvii. 6, 7, cxlix. 3) but rarely elsewhere (Judg. v. 3; [2 Sam. xxii. 50; 1 Chr. xvi. 9]; Is. xii. 5). It appears originally to have meant to make melody, like the Lat. canere, but came to be applied specially to instrumental music, as distinguished from vocal music. Mizmōr then means a piece of music, a song with instrumental accompaniment.

Song3. Shir, rendered song, is the general term for a song or canticle. It occurs 30 times in the titles, generally preceded or followed by mizmōr, and not unfrequently in the text of the Psalms (e.g. xxviii. 7, xl. 3, cxxxvii. 3, 4), and in other books. It is applied to secular as well as sacred songs (Gen. xxxi. 27; Jud. v. 12; 1 Kings iv. 32; Is. xxx. 29; Neh. xii. 27, 36, 46).

?

Maschil is found as the title of thirteen Psalms, eleven of which are in Books ii and iii. The meaning is obscure. (a) It has been explained to mean a didactic psalm. Comp. the use of the cognate verb in xxxii. 8, 'I will instruct thee.' But of the 7 Psalms which bear the title only xxxii and lxxviii are specifically 'didactic.' (b) Delitzsch supposes it to mean a meditation. (c) Most probable however is Ewald's explanation, a skilful psalm. The word is used in Ps. xlvii. 7, 'sing ye praises with understanding' (Heb. maschil), R.V. marg., in a skilful psalm.

DI: LXX yaλuós: Vulg. psalmus.

* It occurs in the original Hebrew of Ecclesiasticus xlix. 1, in the sense of music or song generally: "as mizmōr at a banquet of wine." 3 LXX in titles usually dń, in text wôń or doua.

4

S: LXX σuvérews or eis ouveow: Vulg. intellectus or ad intellectum: Jer. eruditio.

5 xxxii, xlii, xliv, xlv, lii, liii, liv, lv, lxxiv, lxxviii, lxxxviii, lxxxix, cxlii.

ba

bust.

It may have denoted something more definite than the ordinary mizmōr, a psalm with musical setting of a specially delicate and artistic character, ‘a cunning psalm.'

Michtam occurs in the title of six Psalms, preceded or followed by of David1. It is probably, like Maschil, a musical term, the meaning of which cannot now oe determined. A few of the many explanations which have been given may be mentioned. (1) The LXX and Theodotion render it στηλογραφία or εἰς στηλοypapíav, an inscription or for an inscription. Cp. the Targ., an excellent inscription or writing. Hence Delitzsch explains, a poem of epigrammatic character, containing pithy or expressive sayings. (2) In defiance of all grammar and analogy Aquila Symmachus and Jerome treat the word as a compound, and render it as an epithet of David, the humble and sincere or blameless. (3) A golden Psalm (A.V. marg.), with reference to the preciousness of its contents, like the golden sayings (xpvoâ en) of Pythagoras. (4) An unpublished poem. (5) A Psalm of hidden, mysterious meaning.

Shiggaion occurs in the title of Ps. vii, and the Prayer of Habakkuk is said to be set to Shigionoth. The word is derived from a verb which means to wander, and it probably denotes a particular style of poetry or music, or it may include both, and mean 'a dithyrambic poem in wild ecstatic wandering rhythms, with corresponding music.'

A Prayer stands as the title of five Psalms (xvii, lxxxvi, xc, cii, cxlii). In the subscription to Ps. lxxii the preceding collection of Davidic Psalms is designated as The prayers of David3. Hab. iii is called A prayer of Habakkuk. Cp. 1 Sam. ii. I.

A Praise is the title of one Psalm only (cxlv), though Praises came eventually to be the title of the whole book.

2

1 xvi, lvi-lx.

plur. i: LXX in Ps. vii simply yaλuós, in Hab. μerà ons. Jer. ignoratio, or pro ignoratione. So Aq. ȧyvónua, Symm. Theod. rèp ayvolas, supposing it to refer to the contents of the Psalm.

3 The LXX buvo may however point to another reading in, praises.

2. Titles connected with the musical setting or performance. To the chief Musician1: R.V. For the Chief Musician: perhaps rather Of the Precentor: is prefixed to fifty-five Psalms, of which only two (lxvi, lxvii) are anonymous, and most bear the name of David. Fifty-two of these are in Books I-III, and three in Book V. It is found also in the subscription to Habakkuk's Prayer (Hab. iii. 19). The verb, of which the word is a participle, is used in Chronicles and Ezra in the sense of superintending (1 Chr. xxiii. 4; 2 Chr. ii. 2, 18; xxxiv. 12; Ezra iii. 8, 9), and in 1 Chr. xv. 21 in the specific sense of leading (R.V.) the music. There can be little doubt that the word m'naççēach means the precentor, or conductor of the Temple choir, who trained the choir and led the music, and that it refers to the use of the Psalm in the Temple Services. The preposition prefixed to it is generally rendered for, and is supposed to mean that the Psalm was to be handed over to the precentor for musical setting and performance. This explanation however does not account for the rarity of the term in the later books, where the Psalms are predominantly liturgical in character. It seems more probable that the preposition should be rendered of, and that it indicates that the Psalm belonged to an older collection known as The Precentor's Collection, in the same way as the titles of David,' 'of Asaph,' 'of the sons of Korah' probably indicate the collections from which the Psalms bearing them were taken. The reason commonly given for its absence in Books IV and V, that it was unnecessary, because the destination of these Psalms was obvious, is hardly satisfactory. Many of

1

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Oxyph (lam'naççëach). The Targum renders it to praise, giving the general sense. But the other Ancient Versions were completely at a loss. The LXX renders els tò téλos, Vulg. in finem, unto the end' or 'for ever,' reading the word as a substantive ?, in the sense of (laneçach). The other Greek Versions and Jerome connected it with the sense of victory, which is one of the meanings of the root in late Heb. and Aramaic. Thus Aquila TvKOTO, for the victor. Symmachus, bios, 'a song of victory': Theodotion, els rò vikos, 'for the victory': Jerome, victori. So too the LXX in Hab. iii., 19, To VIKĥoal. These renderings gave the ingenuity of the Fathers great opportunities for allegorical interpretations.

See the Oxford Hebrew Lexicon, p. 684.

the Psalms in Books I-III which have it prefixed to them, are clearly intended for public use. It seems to have been a term belonging to an older collection, which went out of use in later times. At any rate the translators of the LXX did not understand its meaning.

Selah. This term, though not belonging to the titles, may conveniently be discussed here.

The word is found 71 times in the Psalter in 39 Psalms, 3 times in Habakkuk iii, and nowhere else in the O.T. In 16 Psalms it occurs once; in 15 twice; in 7 (and in Hab. iii) three times: in 1, four times. Of these Psalms 9 are in Book I: 17 in Book II: 11 in Book III; none in Book IV: 2 only in Book V. It is to be further noted that all these Psalms, with the exception of the anonymous lxvi and lxvii, bear the name of David or of the Levitical singers (the sons of Korah, Asaph, Heman, Ethan); and all bear indications of being intended to be set to music. The majority of them (28 of the 39: cp. Hab. iii. 19) have, 'For the Chief Musician' in the title, frequently with a further specification of the instruments or melody (iv, ix, xlvi, liv, lv, lvii, lix, lx, lxi, lxii, lxvii, lxxv, lxxvi, lxxvii, lxxxi, lxxxiv, lxxxviii; Hab. iii. 19). Of the remaining eleven, eight are designated mizmor, 'psalm,' two maschil, and one shiggaion.

It may fairly be inferred from these facts that Selah is a technical term of great antiquity, having reference to musical accompaniment. Its precise meaning, however, is quite uncerThere are two main lines of ancient tradition:

tain.

(a) By the LXX always, and by Symmachus and Theodotion generally, it is rendered dávaλua (diapsalma), which may denote either louder playing, forte; or, more probably, an instrumental interlude, while the singing ceased. The Syriac (with a few exceptions) gives an abbreviation of the Greek word. The Vulgate omits it entirely.

1 It occurs in the third and eighteenth of the Shemōnch Esreh or Eighteen Benedictions of the Jewish Liturgy, and its Greek equivalent is found twice in the Psalms of Solomon (xvii. 31; xviii. 10).

2 Cp. diaúlov, an interlude on the flute. The explanation a change of rhythm or melody, or a transition in the sense, can hardly be right, as Selah occurs sometimes at the end of a Psalm.

(b) The most ancient Jewish traditions interpret the word to mean for ever. So the Targum, with some variety of rendering, Aquila, the 'Fifth' and 'Sixth' Greek versions, Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Syriac occasionally; and Jerome, who renders semper1.

Of these ancient renderings, that of the LXX probably preserves a true tradition as to the usage of Selah: but the meaning 'always' is based on no known etymology, and is obviously unsuitable in the majority of passages.

Of the multitude of modern explanations the most generally accepted is that Selah is derived from a root meaning to raise, and signifies Up!'

In

It is then a direction to the musicians to strike up, either with a louder accompaniment, or with an interlude while the singing ceased. This explanation is supported by the conjunction of Selah in Ps. ix. 16 with Higgaion, a term used of instrumental music in Ps. xcii. 3. It is moreover confirmed by an examination of the passages in which Selah occurs. the majority of cases it is found at the end of a strophe, or before the introduction of some fresh thought, where an interlude would be most natural (Ps. iii 2, 4, 8; xxiv. 6, 10; xliv. 8; xlvi. 3, 7, 11; lxvi. 4, 7, 15); or before some appeal or utterance which would be distinguished from what preceded and would be emphasised by an interlude or by a stronger accompaniment (Ps. vii. 5; 1. 6; lx. 4; lxxv. 3; lxxxi. 7; lxxxiii. 8). There are no doubt many instances which do not appear to come under these general principles; but the Hebrew idea of what was fitting by way of accompaniment may have differed from ours; and in some cases the accuracy of the Massoretic Text is doubtful. The Septuagint does not always agree with it in the insertion or omission of Selah, and an obscure

1 For an interesting account of the various opinions held in his day consult his letter to Marcella (Opp. i. col. 135, ed. Vallarsi). He decides in favour of the rendering semper, 'always,' because it is that given by Aquila, 'the most careful interpreter of the meanings of Hebrew words,' and says that it is designed 'to connect what precedes with what follows, or to shew that what has been said is everlasting': and compares the use of the word with that of Amen or Shalom (peace), to mark the end of a passage, and confirm its contents.