Salmos 16

XVI.

Ewald’s arguments for grouping this psalm with Psalms 17, 49, as those of one time, and even one author, are almost irresistible; and this not merely from the general similarity of language and sentiment, but especially from the feelings expressed about death. The vision of immortality wanting to the early Jews, to Moses, even to David, has at length, however faintly and dimly, dawned. It will be long before it becomes a world -belief, or even a definite individual hope. But the germ of a truth so great must grow, as we see it growing in the Book of Job, till the time is ripe for apostles to quote the words of the ancient poets, as if they had not only felt for themselves the necessity of an immortal existence, but had seen prophetically how in Christ it would be assured to men.

Salmos 16 is decidedly individual in its experience, and the inscription to David as author receives a certain amount of probability from a comparison of Salmos 16:5 with 1 Samuel 26:19. But such slight indications give way before the reference to the bloody sacrifices in Salmos 16:4, which brings the date down to a time subsequent at least to Solomon.

The parallelism in this psalm is scarcely traceable.

Title. — Michtam (Mikhtam) occurs in five other psalms (Psalms 56-60) — all, like Salmos 16, ascribed to David. The greatest uncertainty attaches to the word. The marginal explanation rests on the derivation from kethem (gold, Jó 28:16), and may be illustrated by the “golden sayings” of Pythagoras (comp. Golden Legend), an obvious expression for something rare and precious. Others compare the Moallakat of Mecca, poems written in “golden” letters. The LXX., “a pillar inscription” (Vulg., tituli inscriptio), follows another possible derivation, but does not suit the contents of those psalms so inscribed. Some take Mikhtam as a variety of Mikhtab (a writing). Most probably some musical direction, the key to which is lost, is conveyed by the word.