March 3

Explanation of Titles

Having yesterday entered into general considerations regarding the titles of the Psalms, we may today invite attention to some of the most remarkable or least intelligible of the particular titles.

The title of the twenty-second Psalm exhibits two words which look somewhat rough to the eye, but which pass mellifluously over the tongue which pronounces them. Try. The words are AIJELETH SHAHAR. The signification is still more pleasant than the sound, “The Hind of the Morning.” But there is nothing about the “hind” or the “morning” in the Psalm; nor even about the sun, which the Arabian poets some times designate by the analogous name of the Gazelle. The title cannot therefore refer to the subject-matter of the Psalm. Some, consequently, suppose it to be merely an indication of time; others imagine it to be the name of some musical instrument; while many conclude that it is merely the name of some other song, to the tune or melody of which this Psalm was to be sung. We usually designate our hymns and songs from their first words; this has led some to suppose by analogy that this and the like titles are derived from the words with which such songs commenced. But this is an unnecessary limitation. It would be sufficient to designate the piece, if only “the hind of the morning” were one of the first and principal things mentioned in it. An example of this may be found in David’s elegy upon Jonathan, which is called “The Song of the Bow”—simply because it contains the mention of a bow. Note: See First Series—Thirty-Fifth Week—Friday. The same practice in the designation of their lyrical compositions exists among the Arabians.

Still more remarkable is the title of Psalms 56—JONATH-ELEM-RECHOKIM which may be translated “Dove of the distant Terebinth-trees.” As in the previous instance, there is nothing in the Psalm itself to suggest a reason for this title; and we may therefore be led to conclude that the words formed the commencement or leading point of another song, the tune of which was well known, and according to which this was to be sung. The title, as translated, would indeed form a striking line of poetry by itself; and one feels some regret that nothing of those ancient songs remains save the simple but striking indications to be found in the titles of the Psalms. It should be added, however, that the interpretation of these words is very uncertain. The Vulgate makes it, of “The Dove of Dumbness (i.e., The Mute Dove) among stranger’s,” or “in distant places,” by which David is understood. One interpreter contrives to make out a connection between the title and subject of the Psalm by constraining the former to mean “On the subjugation of foreign princes.” The reader may ask, how such different senses can be extracted from the same words. This we cannot explain without entering into philological details unsuited to these pages—but the mere presence of such material differences may enable the reader to realize some idea of the obscurities of the subject.

In the title to Psalms 46, we find the word ALAMOTH—which any one may guess from the sound means something pleasant. It does mean a “maiden” or “virgin.” There is, however, again, nothing about virgins in the Psalm, and it is therefore not thought that the title has any connection with the subject. Many have deemed it to be the name of some musical instruments, the nature of which we are now unable to discover. But some able writers on the subject are disposed to refer this, and the other titles supposed to denote musical instruments, to the same class we have been indicating—that is, that they are intended to refer to some melody or tune. The ablest German writer on this subject (Förkel), forcibly urges that, considering the simple state of Hebrew music, it is not likely that each song had its separate musical accompaniment. He appeals, very pertinently, to the custom of the old German meister-singers (master-singers), who gave similar titles to their songs, such as Jungfrau weiss (Virgin mode); Grund weiss (Ground mode); and the like. It is certainly also a weighty objection to the interpretation of these titles as referring to musical instruments, that in this way we give to the Hebrews a far greater number of musical instruments than they were at all likely to possess—more than we find mentioned in the historical books, or in the Psalms themselves. Many of the instruments thus specially denoted, may however have been only varieties of the common ones—particularly, it may be supposed, of the kinnur, “harp,” or rather “lyre.”

Egyptian Harps and Lyres

When the probabilities in such cases are nearly equal, it is well to adhere to the general opinion; but in the case before us the probabilities are scarcely equal, seeing that in 1 Chronicles 15:20, the word alamoth is in such a manner connected with instruments of music, as to show that it could not itself have been a musical instrument. “Psalteries (or harps) upon alamoth,” which were unintelligible if alamoth meant a musical instrument, but became very intelligible, if understood of a particular tune so called.

That, however, some of the titles do denote musical instruments, appears to us abundantly clear—expressing doubtless the kind of instrument to which the Psalm was to be used as a musical accompaniment. Such is NEGINOTH, which occurs in the titles of several of the Psalms, Note: Psalms 4; Psalms 54; Psalms 55; Psalms 76. and which is generally supposed to be a general term for every kind of stringed instrument. Of these there were several varieties, as we know from the Egyptian monuments, which furnish representations of instruments existing in the times of the Old Testament. Such instruments could not well have been unknown to the Israelites while in Egypt, among whom some of them may be supposed to have continued in use in after ages. They may, indeed, possibly have had some special instruments nationally their own, although even these probably bore some general resemblance to the Egyptian examples.

The variety of instruments of this kind in use among the Israelites, and employed in the temple services, is shown by the names employed to denote them, such as the KINOUR, the “harp” of the authorized version, which seems to have been a kind of lyre. This is much oftener mentioned in the Bible than any other musical instrument, and is known historically, as well as from the Psalms, to have been the favorite instrument of David, both when he fed his father’s flock, and when be sat upon the throne. There was also the NEBEL, which is generally taken to have been a kind of triangular harp, such as we see among the Egyptian examples: but which seems also to have comprehended the largest kinds of harp, such also as we find among the Egyptians. It is usually rendered by “psaltery” in the authorized version. The ASOR, which occurs in Psalms 33:2; Psalms 92:3; Psalms 144:9, seems to have been a ten-stringed nebel, and is translated “an instrument of ten strings.”

Egyptian Lutes or Guitars

The gittith, which occurs in the title of three Psalms, Note: Psalms 8; Psalms 81; Psalms 84. is generally conceived to be a musical instrument, and one would like to know something of it, as its name seems to suggest some connection with the city of Gath. It may be that when David was in that city, it attracted his eye—curious in such matters—and that he introduced it into his own country; and it is so mentioned by one of the prophets, Note: Isaiah 16:10. as to suggest that it was in particular use at the season of vintage. Some good authorities, however, doubt that this gittith was any musical instrument, but conceive that it denotes a song composed for the vintage or for the Feast of Tabernacles, to the melody of which the Psalms which bear the name in their titles were to be played or sung.

The mahalath, which occurs in the titles of two Psalms, Note: Psalms 53, 58. is generally supposed to denote a musical instrument. It was probably something of the lute or guitar kind. It has not been generally supposed that the Israelites had instruments of this description. But the prevalence of instruments of this species throughout the East, would alone suggest the probability that the Hebrews were not without them; and this probability is very materially strengthened by the evidence which the Egyptian monuments offer, that they were equally common in remotely ancient times among the near neighbors of the Jews. These ancient instruments are very similar to those now in use in Egypt, Arabia, and Syria; and this is a strong corroboration of their illustrative value.

All the instruments of music that occur in the titles of the Psalm, are stringed instruments, with a single exception. This exception occurs in the title of Psalms 5, where the word NEHILOTH (or more properly NECHILOTH), probably denotes instruments of the flute or pipe kind, and would therefore signify “to the music of pipes.” Instruments of this sort are repeatedly mentioned both in the Old Testament and in the New. The first instance occurs in 1 Samuel 10:5, which would imply that it came rather late into use—as nearly all the other principal instruments of music are named at much earlier dates. We may suppose that it was of foreign origin. From the texts in which this class of instruments are named, it appears they were chiefly employed on occasions of joy and pleasure. So much was this the case that under the oppression of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Jews complained that “joy was taken from Jacob, and the pipe with the harp ceased.” Note: 1Ma 3:45. It was particularly used to enliven the periodical journeys to Jerusalem, to attend the great festivals; Note: Isaiah 30:29. and this practice of enlivening travelling companies with music, is at the present day common in the East. There was, we are told on classical authority, Note: Athenaeus, Diepnos iv. 174. a kind of plaintive pipe in use among the Phoenician neighbors of the Jews; that they also had it, is probable from the use of such an instrument at solemnities of mourning. In Matthew 9:23, our Savior, finding the pipers present at the mourning for the ruler’s daughter, orders them away, because the damsel was “not dead.” To this also refers the regulation of the Jews, that every one, however poor he might be, should have at least two pipes at the death of his wife. The use of this instrument is better known than its form. But we may probably regard it as an approximation to that of ancient Egypt, which, again, was very similar to those still used in Western Asia.

Egyptian Pipes

These are seen to be single and double, as among the ancient Greeks. In the latter, the left pipe having fewer holes, and emitting a deeper sound, than the other, served as a bass. This double-pipe is still used in Palestine. The Scottish Missionary Deputation overtook, among the hills of Judah, “an Arab playing with all his might upon a shepherd’s pipe, made of two reeds.”