We have previously, during the course of this study, discussed the inspiration, or lack there of, in the titles to the psalms. From my study I have settled into the opinion that they are not inspired but are added by men as seemed to be the common consensus among all whom I referenced in this. You may go back and read that short entry to see more fully what I am speaking of (Inspiration to the Headings of the Psalms). But here Spurgeon begins his comments on the title with, “The Inspired title runs thus:” which would seem to be a fairly solitary finding. If you are reading that in “The Treasury of David” then I would agree with those that I mentioned in the previous study on this issue that it is highly doubtful and Spurgeon’s finding of inspiration should probably be disregarded.
There is quite a bit of variance over the Hebrew word Lamnetsah and its meaning.
• Some translate the word Lamnetsah, for ever; and they say that it was the commencement of a common song, to the tune of which this Psalm was composed: but this I reject as a forced translation. Others, with more truth, are of opinion, that Menetsah signifies one who excels and surpasses all others. But because expositors are not agreed as to the particular kind of excellence and dignity here spoken of, let it suffice, that by this word is denoted the chief master or president of the band. I do not approve of rendering the word, conqueror; for although it answers to the subject matter of the present psalm, yet it does not at all suit other places where we shall find the same Hebrew word used. JC
• Matthew Poole, Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, John Gill, and the 1599 GB are all of the same basic opinion as John Calvin regarding the translation of this word.
• The Septuagint read the word which we have rendered in our translation “chief musician” Lamenetz, instead of Lamenetzoth, the meaning of which is “unto the end”. From whence the Greek and Latin fathers imagined, that all the psalms which bear this inscription refer to the Messiah the great end. If so, this Psalm is addressed to Christ; and well it may, for it is all of Christ, and spoken by Christ, and hath respect only to His people as being one with Christ. The Lord the Spirit give the reader to see this, and he will find it most blessed. RH
• If you were to look at the Septuagint it will translate the title as “For the End, a Song of David among the Psalms” and the rendering in Augustine’s commentary (or at least the one I use on ccel.org) is translated “To the end, a psalm song to David.” The focus in the first half of the title being on the end. There is some variance in the rest of the translation as well and we will address that in a moment.
• Strong’s translation doesn’t even recognize the use of this word as best as I can tell. I looked over a number of sources to see what word was used here and how it was translated and all of them cited Strong as using the word natsach rather than Lamnetsah. I am not sure why that is but he is the only one I could find that used that word in the original Hebrew and placed it in this title. That said, he still translated it in the same way as Calvin and others did.
• After discussing the proof of this word being used elsewhere to signify an overseer Delitzsch says the following: [This] is one who shows eminent ability in any department, and then it gains the general signification of master, director, or chief overseer. At the head of the psalms it is generally understood of the director of the Temple-music. It means “to take the lead in the playing”. Hence [this] is not the director of the Temple-music but in general the master of song, and [it] addresses the psalm to him whose duty it is to arrange it and to train the Levite choristers; it therefore defines the psalm as belonging to the songs of the Temple worship that require musical accompaniment.
The next word in question, with less difference of opinion, is the word Neginoth.
• I think it comes from the verb, Nagan, which signifies to strike or sound; and therefore, I doubt not, but it was an instrument of music. Whence it follows, that this Psalm was designed to be sung, not only with the voice, but also with musical instruments, which were presided over, and regulated by the chief musician of whom we have now just spoken. JC
• As was previously mentioned you can see that the Septuagint and Augustine have a significant difference in their translation of the second half of the title.
• All other commentaries I referenced agreed with Calvin’s explanation. John Gill lists a number of sources that would be in basic agreement with Augustine and the Septuagint. But in the end he notes that “the Jewish writers, for the most part, interpret it of a musical instrument so called; not such an one as was blown, as the pipe and trumpet, but what was played upon with the hand; a stringed instrument, which was touched with the fingers as a harp, or struck with a quill or bow as a violin.”
The last issue that exists within the title seems to be the point of emphasis in whether or not there is still application for this Psalm to be sung today with instrumentation. Calvin (as can be seen above) and Delitzsch seem to make matter of fact statements that the song is to be sung with instrumentation. They don’t really go into any dialogue over that being more or less relevant based on the age. Spurgeon and Henry are both in agreement when they say, “[…] the New Testament appoints all Christians to sing, from which it is expected that they do it decently, not artfully, and therefore there is not now so much occasion for musical instruments as there was then: the melody is to be made in the heart.” And again, “The joy of the Jewish church was so great that they needed music to set forth the delightful feelings of their souls, our holy mirth is nonetheless overflowing because we prefer to express it in a more spiritual manner, as becometh a more spiritual dispensation. Let us lay ourselves open to the Spirit’s touch, so shall we make melody. May we be full of faith and love, and we shall be living instruments of music." As to my conclusion in the matter: it means nothing to the study ultimately. There are some very godly men on both sides of this argument and I am quite sure that nothing I can say or include would influence where one of them is so convicted on how this should be done. Fortunately, that is not the focus of the Psalm and thus it doesn’t need to be the focus in our discussion of the Psalm.
I also went and looked at a variety of versions of bibles to see how each of them translated this. I think the common consensus has to be that the title should read something along the line of “To the Chief Musician, on stringed instruments.” There is some variety in a few of the translations where they say “To the Choirmaster” or “with stringed instruments”. The most literal translation seems to come from the 1599 GB which says, “To him that excelleth on Neginoth.” A few versions, in an attempt to modernize the language, have translated it into such things as “the choir director” and I am not sure that takes it far enough. This seems to be addressed to a man that held a special position in the liturgy of the church; truly one set aside for this task, a special man filling a special position. Delitzsch and Luther made mention of this as well. I do have a partial favoring of the word Neginoth rather than stringed instruments though. I don’t think that is the important part of it; but, in reading through the many pages that spoke about this I couldn’t find anyone that could really nail down what instrument it was, only that the root of the word indicates playing strings or playing with the hands, so anything other than the title Neginoth itself seems like a bit of a stretch.
The reason I think it is important to understand this is because while it is not an inspired title it clearly shows that the Psalm was used in corporate worship by the people of God and not just in personal or family worship. Indeed many of the psalms carry such references and it shows us that they are an important part of the liturgy of the church as well as being an important part of family worship; never forgetting the obvious personal application either.
Introduction
Note: If you have a copy of the Keil & Delitzsch commentary and you notice that I am giving a different verse reference than they are it is because they start numbering each Psalm with the title as vs. 1. In order to make it easier for those that are looking at their bibles when they read this I have changed their reference to the appropriate verse in our current bibles where the title is not numbered.
• It is uncertain what time this Psalm was composed. But from the tenor of it, it is conjectured, with probability, that David was then a fugitive and an exile. I therefore refer it to the time when he was persecuted by Saul. If, however, any person is disposed rather to understand it as referring to the time when he was compelled by the conspiracy of Absalom to secure his safety by flight, I will not greatly contend about the matter. But as, a little after, he uses as expression, namely, “How long?” (vs. 3) which indicates that he had a lengthened struggle, the opinion of which I have already brought forward is more probable. JC
• It is called "a Psalm of David", being written by him, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God; the occasion of it was Absalom's rebellion; and it was written when he fled from him, as the preceding, as Kimchi thinks; but, according to Lightfoot and others, it was the rebellion of Sheba, 2Sa 20:1-22, though others refer it to the time of his distresses and persecutions by Saul; according to the Jewish Rabbis… the psalm belongs to future time, to the world to come, to the times of the Messiah. JG
• This Psalm is, for the matter or substance of it, much like the former, and seems to have been made upon some other like occasion, when he was distressed either by Absalom, or by Saul, or by some other great and powerful enemies. MP
• This Psalm is apparently intended to accompany the third, and make a pair with it. If the last be entitled The Morning Psalm, this from its matter is equally deserving of the title of The Evening Hymn. May the choice words of the 8th verse be our sweet song of rest as we retire to our repose! In these passages will be found much that is interesting to the lover of sacred song, and very much that will throw a light upon the mode of praising God in the temple. CHS
“Thus with my thoughts composed to peace,• The Davidic morning hymn is now followed by a Davidic evening hymn. It is evident that they belong together from the mutual relation of 4:6 with 3:2, and 3:5 with 4:8. They are the only two Psalms in which the direct words of others are taken up into prayer with the formula “many say.” The history and chronological position of the one is explained from the inscription of the other. From the quousque (Latin for how long, how far, until; thefreedictionary.com) 4:2, and the words of the feeble-faiths 4:6, it follows that Ps. 4 is the later of the two. K&D, Franz Delitzsch
I’ll give mine eyes to sleep;
Thy hand in safety keeps my days,
And will my slumbers keep.”
• David was a preacher, a royal preacher, as well as was Solomon; many of his psalms are doctrinal and practical as well as devotional; the greatest part of this Psalm is so, in which Wisdom cries to men, to the sons of men, to receive instruction. This title does not tell us, as the former did, that it was penned on any particular occasion, nor are we to think that all the psalms were occasional, though some were, but that many of them were designed in general for the instruction of the people of God, who attended in the courts of his house, the assisting of their devotions, and the directing of their conversations: such a one I take this Psalm to be. MH
Personal Summary:
I don’t usually spend so much time in the title and introduction. But with so much variance as to meaning and history I thought we should do so here. We have well discussed the difference of opinion in the title. But we are also met with some varied opinion as to the occasion of this Psalm. Calvin is pretty convinced it is in relation to Saul; Gill thinks it is in relation to Absalom as does Delitzsch if the chronology of the Psalm were to hold true; Poole doesn’t even take a stab at it; Henry thinks it doesn’t apply to either. Why is this important? It is sure that as we progress and include notes from these men with such varied opinions as to the occasion of this Psalm, that their thought in that matter will also be applied as they progress through the Psalm. But we are aware of it and should be able to ignore whatever minor differences such historical insight might produce.
The other thing that is important to note is that it seems to be fairly sure that this is intended to be an evening hymn. I can remember early in my Christian life what an influence 4:8 had on me. When I was a child I would say, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee” (Ps. 56:3). When I was saved and grown this became my new verse when troubles were stacked up against me or I would wake from a nightmare unable to fall back asleep; although I certainly still use my childhood verse as well. This Psalm is quite beautiful, and such an assuring word from God could not be more useful to His children. I look forward to progressing through this study and seeing what may be revealed to us as a result.
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