The superscription of Psalm 56 is one of the lengthier ones, but casual inspection lends little understanding. These subtitles to psalms were part of the original Hebrew (2), and they should be heeded as inspired Scripture which instructs, encourages, exhorts, and corrects (2 Timothy 3:16). The directions to the choir director indicate that the psalm, as are all psalms, are for public worship. This particular one is for the congregation to worshipfully hear from a choir. David indeed made it a statute that music be included with worship and the sacrifices and led by skilled men assigned to the task (3).
The present choir directive under consideration seems to be to a song, given by name, and a setting. The song, “Jonath Elem Rehokim”, is translated, “The dove of the distant terebinths”. The dove is seen as a faithful and forlorn bird, because they partner and mate for life and their call is melancholy (thus Mourning Dove). The terebinth (not to be translated as “oak”, as it is sometimes mistakenly translated (4)) is a small, resinous, Mediterranean tree from which turpentine is extracted. I think that the dove, distant, and terebinth sound sad. The song is not extant, but I feel sure that this was a sad tune for the sad subject of man who “man has trampled” (v.1), “they distort my words” (v.5), and “they attack…lurk…watch my steps…waited to take my life” (v. 6).
The setting adds to the sense of foreboding of the psalm. David wrote it either at the time or in memory of the time when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Though it does not say “seized” in 1 Samuel 21:15-19, this event was probably the one alluded to, David feigning madness before the Achish and the Philistines at Gath. It was a low point for David, exceeded only by his sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah her husband. In Gath, because of fear (v.12), David pretended to be mad, humiliating himself with scribblings and saliva running down his beard. And yet, David praises and trusts in God in this psalm and Psalm 34 (5), for his protection, direction, and future. May we all.
- hopefully
- https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-psalms/#:~:text=10%20Things%20You%20Should%20Know%20about%20the%20Psalms,Psalter%20consists%20of%20five%20%E2%80%9Cbooks.%E2%80%9D%20…%20More%20items item #5
- 1 Chronicles 15:19, 16:5,7,37, 25:1-2,6
- https://evangelicalfocus.com/zoe/16065/the-terebinth-tree-and-cultural-prostitution
- See Psalm 34 superscription; It is thought that Abimelech is a title, Achish a personal name for the same person.
CreatorWorship 