(11) Masehil is found in the title of thir teen psalms. Delitzsch supposes it to mean a meditation. According to Gesenius, De \Vette, Ewald, and others, it means a poem, so called either for its skillful composition or for its wise and pious strain. The common, interpretation makes it a didactic poem, from .ntn, to teach or make wise.
(12) Michtam is prefixed to Ps. xvi, lvi-lx, and is subject to many conjectures. Many, after Aben Ezra, derive it from the Hebrew word meaning gold, and understand a golden psalm, so called probably on account of its excellence. Hengstenberg understands mystery, and supposes that these Psalms, more than others, have a deep or occult sense. Others, after the Sept., which gives arnXoypaybla, fancy that the word means a poem engraved on a pillar or monument, or as Delitzsch says, a poem of epigrammatic character, pithy and expressive. Another explanation is offered by Gesenius, De \Vette, Rosenmuller and Tholuck, who hold to signify a writing or poem. It is actually found in the corresponding Hebrew form over Hezekiah's song in Is. xxxviii:o.
(13) Muth-labben (Ps. ix) presents a perfect riddle, owing to the various readings of MSS., and the contradictory conjectures of the learned. Besides the common reading upon death to the son, we have the same word that is used in Ps. xlvi. (see above Alamoth). Some explain it as the subject or occasion of the song, but most refer it to the music ("set to Muth-labben" R. V.). Gesenius, in his last edition, renders it—with vir gins' voice for the boys, i. c., to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble.
(14) Neginoth (Ps. iv and four others; over Ps. lxi) ncginah in the singular, though some MSS. give neginoth here also. This name, from the Hebrew word meaning to strike a chord, like ipdXX(0, clearly denotes that the Psalm was to be sung to the accompaniment of stringed instru ments.
(15) Nehiloth (Ps. v), comes most likely from the Hebrew word meaning to perforate, and denotes pipes or flutes.
(16) Selah is found seventy-three times in the Psalms, generally at the end of a sentence or paragraph; but in Ps. lv :ro and lvii:3 it stands in the middle of the verse. While most authors have agreed in considering this word as some how relating to the music (the Psalms in which it occurs bearing evidence of being intended to be set to music), their conjectures about its precise meaning have varied greatly. Some, including
Herder, De Wette, and Ewald (Poet. Bucher, i, 179), derive it from a Hebrew word meaning to raise, and understand a raising of the voice or music; others, after Gesenius, in Thesaurus, de rive it from the Hebrew word meaning to be still or silent, and understand a pause in the singing. By the Targum, the Talmud and Aquila it was rendered "eternity," as perhaps equivalent to "Amen." and Jerome translates it "semper." Probably selah was used to direct the singer to be silent, or to pause a little, while the instruments played an interlude or symphony. In Ps. ix:16 i it occurs in the expression higgaion selah, which Gesenius, with much probability, renders instru mental music, pause, i. e. let the instruments strike up a symphony, and let the singer pause.
(17) Sheminith (Ps. vi and xii) means prop erly eighth, and denotes either, as some think, an Instrument with eight chords, or, more likely, music in the lower notes, or bass. This is strongly favored by i Chron. xv :20, 21, where the terms alamoth and sheminith cleatiy denote different parts of music: the former answering to our treble, and the latter to the bass, an octave be low.
(18) Shiggaion (Ps. vii), denotes, according to Gesenius and Furst, a song or hymn; but Ewald and Hengstenberg derive it from a He brew word meaning to err or wander; and hence the former understands a song uttered in the greatest excitement, the latter after the manner of dithyrambs, or to dithyrambic measures.
(19) Shushan (Ps. lx) and in plural shoshan nim (Ps. xlv, lxix, lxxx). This word com monly signifies lily, and probably denotes either an instrument bearing some resemblance to a lily (perhaps cymbal), or more probably a melody so named. Eduth is joined to it in Ps. lx and lxxx, giving the sense lily of testimony, the name of a tune.
3. Authors. Many of the ancients, both Jews and Christians, maintained that all the Psalms were written by David; which is one of the most striking proofs of their uncritical judgment. The titles and the contents of the Psalms most clearly show that they were composed at different and remote periods, by several poets, of whom David was supposed to be the most eminent.