Sunday Sermonette: Music lesson

Psalms 4 through 6 include instructions that give us little hints about the music. (The attribution to David is certainly fanciful, these were composed long after his death assuming he even existed.) The RSV translates some of the Hebrew terms which are not translated in the KJV, perhaps because back in 1611 they didn't have enough information. The term in Chapter 4 is "neginoth," which is believed to refer to all stringed instruments. Some people have tried to assign it to a specific instrument, but the current consensus is that it is generic for strings. They probably didn't have bowed instruments, and perhaps not even instruments with fingerboards, so we're probably talking about harps and lyres. 

The Hebrew term in Psalm 5 is nehiloth, and this is the only place where it appears. It is derived from a word meaning "to bore" so it probably refers to perforated wind instruments, which the translators have rendered as flutes. While reed mouthpieces had not been invented, as far as we know, there may have been instruments more akin to recorders. 

"According to the sheminith" in Psalm 6 is probably an indication of key. Sheminith literally means eight or octave, but it is thought to refer to the lowest note sung by male voices, which would presumably be the tonic. However, we don't know what scales they used. Current Jewish liturgical music commonly uses what is called the phrygian dominant scale, which has a flat second:

 

There are other scales used in Jewish liturgical music, all of which are similar to scales used in Arabic music, which at least suggests an ancient origin. But I doubt we'll ever know for sure.

 

Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
    Thou hast given me room when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

² O men, how long shall my honor suffer shame?
    How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?Selah
³ But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴ Be angry, but sin not;
    commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.Selah
⁵ Offer right sacrifices,
    and put your trust in the Lord.

⁶ There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
    Lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, O Lord!”
⁷ Thou hast put more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸ In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
    for thou alone, O Lord, makest me dwell in safety.

rust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my groaning.
² Hearken to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to thee do I pray.
³ O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch.

⁴ For thou art not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not sojourn with thee.
⁵ The boastful may not stand before thy eyes;
    thou hatest all evildoers.
⁶ Thou destroyest those who speak lies;
    the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.

⁷ But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love
    will enter thy house,
I will worship toward thy holy temple
    in the fear of thee.
⁸ Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make thy way straight before me.

⁹ For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their heart is destruction,
their throat is an open sepulchre,
    they flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰ Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against thee.

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in thee rejoice,
    let them ever sing for joy;
and do thou defend them,
    that those who love thy name may exult in thee.
¹² For thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord;
    thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield.

Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

6 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy anger,
    nor chasten me in thy wrath.
² Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
    O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
³ My soul also is sorely troubled.
    But thou, O Lord—how long?

⁴ Turn, O Lord, save my life;
    deliver me for the sake of thy steadfast love.
⁵ For in death there is no remembrance of thee;
    in Sheol who can give thee praise?

⁶ I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
    I drench my couch with my weeping.
⁷ My eye wastes away because of grief,
    it grows weak because of all my foes.

⁸ Depart from me, all you workers of evil;
    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
⁹ The Lord has heard my supplication;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
¹⁰ All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled;
    they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment.