Michtam of David

The word ALTASCHITH is placed over Psalm 57., 58., and 59., in addition to the designation “MICHTAM of David.” There has been much discussion as to the meaning of the word michtam. Some have derived it from a word signifying gold, and understand it as indicating a golden Psalm (vide margin), because of its great excellence, or because of its having been traced in golden letters. While others have supposed that the word denotes a poem engraved on a monument or pillar. Its meaning, however, is made sufficiently clear by its use in Isaiah 38:9, where it is applied to the song or poem that Hezekiah wrote on his recovering from sickness. That was the michtam of Hezekiah. The margin renders altaschith—destroy not; but Good is of opinion that the al here is not a negative particle, but one of the designations borne by the Deity. David’s enemies had been disconcerted, and the Lord had delivered him from the hand of Saul. To the Supreme, then, the God of discomfiture and spoliation, who sends from heaven and saves me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up (Psalm 57:3), I dedicate this michtam. The few Psalms which bear this superscription may well be used to celebrate the ultimate over-throw and destruction of the ungodly, on whom, when the appointed vengeance cometh, the righteous will rejoice at it, and wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.—(Psalm 58:10). There will be some triumphant michtams of the altaschith sort sung in that day, but, meanwhile, the saints are not to resist evil, but to be meek as lambs and harmless as doves.

1880 Christadelphian, p 199