What Is a Miktam in the Psalms? Meaning and Significance

A miktam is an uncertain Hebrew term found in the superscriptions of six psalms: Psalms 16 and 56-60. All six psalms are attributed to David and are associated with distress, danger, pursuit, injustice, or warfare. Because the exact meaning of the word is unknown, English Bibles often preserve it as a transliteration, using miktam or michtam.

Although its precise definition remains uncertain, proposed meanings include “golden,” “precious,” “engraved,” “inscription,” “covered,” “secret,” or a technical musical or liturgical designation. The common theme of the six miktam psalms is clear: they express honest fear and suffering that move toward confidence in God’s protection, justice, presence, and deliverance.

Where Does the Word Miktam Appear?

The term “Miktam” appears in the titles of six psalms within the Book of Psalms: Psalms 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60. These psalms are attributed to David and are often associated with times of distress or danger, reflecting a deep trust in God amidst adversity.

Our subject is a word that appears only six times in Tanach, only in the book of Psalms, and only in the first verse each time. Our word appears in Chapter 16, and in Chapters 56 through 60. Two times we have “michtam Le-David.” Four times we have “Le-David michtam.”

Strong’s Hebrew 4387. Miktam -- a technical term in psalm titles. 4386, 4387. Miktam. 4388 . a technical term in psalm titles. Transliteration: Miktam Phonetic Spelling: (mik-tawm') Short Definition: Michtam.

Why Is the Meaning of Miktam Uncertain?

No one is precisely sure what a michtam (or miktam) was, and that’s why the Hebrew word remains as a transliteration in our English Bibles. Translators didn’t know how to translate michtam, so they spelled it phonetically and called it good enough.

Six psalms in the Bible use the term “miktam” (also spelled “michtam”) in their superscription, but nowhere in the psalms is the term defined. There are disagreements over the meaning of the term-in fact, the NIV Study Bible notes that miktam or michtam remains unexplained altogether.

It is such a difficult word, that several etymological works (e.g., Brown-Driver-Briggs and E. Klein, A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language) are not willing to make any suggestions. Also, the King James Bible (1611) did not translate it and merely wrote “Michtam,” as do many of our sources (e.g., Koren Tanach).

Like the words maskil, selah, and shigionoth, michtam remains somewhat of a mystery in the Hebrew song book. If each of the psalms that are introduced by the phrase “A Miktam of David” had a common meter or pattern or theme, then one could come up with a decent guess about the meaning of miktam. For now, miktam’s meaning remains hidden.

The Main Proposed Meanings of Miktam

1. Miktam as “Golden” or “Precious”

Easton’s Bible Dictionary purports that it may have meant any of the following: 'golden', ‘precious’ 'inscription' or 'engraving,' depending on the psalm. Other interpretations include “atonement” or that it was a musical or liturgical term that would instruct the performers in a particular way.

The root would seem to be Caf-Tav-Mem. This root appears nine times in Tanach with the meaning “gold.” Does the “gold” meaning get us anywhere? Some suggest that the meaning is a psalm as honored or beloved as gold.

See e.g., Ibn Ezra to 16:1, first suggestion, and Metzudat Tziyyon. At 56:1, Ibn Ezra goes even further: the initial “mem” teaches that the psalm is more honored than gold. Rashi (in one of his approaches at 16:1) suggests that the gold meaning implies that the psalm was worn as an “atarah” (=crown or wreath). The implication is that the psalm was one that David regularly recited.

Rav S.R. Hirsch suggests that gold is an allusion to the everlasting nature of the Psalm: “David has recorded for himself an everlasting memorial, a tenet to which he would adhere forever.”

Some scholars see the word michtam as meaning “golden,” a definition that would similarly assign great value to a song so labeled. A michtam could be “a psalm as precious as stamped gold”; if so, today’s top-selling songs that are “certified gold” could be considered “michtams” of a sort. The link between a michtam and golden worth is speculative, however.

Jewish tradition sometimes connects the word to a root meaning “gold”-worthy, precious, or highly valued. In this interpretation, a miktam is a “golden psalm”-something of enduring beauty and worth. David’s darkest seasons produced some of the richest treasures of worship.

Matthew Henry’s commentary writes of Psalm 16: “This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a ‘golden’ psalm, a very precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea, than much fine gold, because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament”

Charles Spurgeon leaned toward this meaning, saying Psalm 16 deserved the title michtam because it shines with “the golden glory of faith.” If the word miktam carries the sense of “precious,” this psalm’s eternal significance fits that meaning perfectly.

2. Miktam as “Engraved,” “Inscribed,” or “Written”

Some scholars trace the word to a Hebrew or Akkadian root meaning “to engrave or carve.” If so, a miktam is a prayer so important it is “etched” permanently-almost like inscribing truth on stone. David’s crisis-born prayers were not temporary cries. They became lasting testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

A possibly related word to michtam is the Hebrew katham, which means “an engraving.” If the underlying meaning of michtam is “engraving,” then the songs labeled as “michtams” could have been considered of enough value to be stamped or engraved upon tablets for long-term preservation.

There is another direction that some take. The suggestion is that the root Caf-Tav-Mem meant “write” in Biblical Hebrew. Jeremiah 2:22 has the following language: “Even if you wash yourself with nitre and take much soap, your sin is ‘nichtam’ before Me.” Now let us look at 17:1, “The sin of Judah is written (=‘ketuvah’) with a pen of iron…”

Although these verses are from different chapters (and the Hebrew word used for “sin” differs in each), one can suggest based on the parallel that the root C-T-M at Jer. 2:22 means “written.” Accordingly, perhaps “michtam” means a psalm that is “written.”

What could be the implication of a psalm being “written”? It seems unlikely that all the other psalms were oral. Could the implication be that it was to be recited silently? The fact that there is a musical instruction at 56:1 and 60:1 immediately preceding the “michtam” phrase refutes this.

Perhaps the implication of “written” is that it was written on a stone as a way of publicizing it. Support for this translation of “michtam” is found in the Greek translation of the Torah (third century BCE, Egypt). Here the translation for “michtam” is “stelographia”= an inscription upon a slab.

See also the Targum to Psalms 16:1. At Isa. 38:9, a prayer of Chizkiyahu is referred to as a “michtav.” Also, it would be very reasonable to interpret C-T-M as being related to C-T-B (=write). The letters “mem” and “bet” are both bilabial consonants, sharing a place of articulation.

In modern times, the Koehler-Baumgartner lexicon adopts “inscription” as its main definition, but also mentions the “secret prayer” definition.

3. Miktam as a “Secret” or “Covered” Prayer

Another interpretation links miktam to a term meaning secret, “covered,” or “hidden.” This reflects David’s situation in the cave (Psalm 57) or hiding from Saul (Psalm 59). In this view, a miktam is a hushed, intimate prayer whispered in danger-a secret communion of the soul with God.

There is an Akkadian root “katamu” that means “to cover.” Based on this, some suggest that a “michtam” was a psalm of atonement. But “katamu” does not have the connotation of atonement. This is in contrast to the Hebrew root C-P-R, which has both connotations.

Based on this “cover” meaning, another view is that a “michtam” was a prayer that, when David originally composed it, was said silently (=secretly), i.e., David’s lips were covered. Four out of the six times where “michtam” is used it is used with a historical background, and some of these backgrounds imply that a silent prayer was necessary.

See, e.g., 57:1, “when he fled from Saul in the cave,” and 59:1: “they watched the house to kill him.” In this view, one can interpret the “nichtam” of Jer. 2:22, as “covered by a blot.”

4. Miktam as a Musical or Liturgical Term

Other scholars think the word michtam is simply a technical term to guide the singer or to denote the tune to be played. A michtam may have been a musical or liturgical term that instructed performers in a particular way.

Several of our Rishonim give “michtam” a melodical or musical meaning. For example, Rashi (in one of his approaches) suggests that it denotes a type of melody or rhythm. The introductory verses to the psalms often use liturgical and musical terms that are difficult for us moderns to understand.

In this survey, the author distinguishes between two types of terms: 1) those that describe the different types of psalms, and 2) those that are melodical and musical instructions. The Daat Mikra commentary takes the position that “michtam” is of the first category.

It puts it in the same category as mizmor (this appears 57 times in the book of Psalms), shir (30 times), maskil (13 times), tefillah (five times), shigayon (one time), shirah (one time), and tehillah (one time).

I am going to agree with Daat Mikra that “michtam” is not a melodical or musical instruction. For example, the melodical and musical instructions often have the word “al” preceding them (e.g., al ha-gitit, al ha-sheminit, al machalat, and many more).

Moreover, one can see from 56:1 that “al yonat eilem rechokim” is the musical instruction there. It is undoubtedly the title of a song to whose melody the psalm was song. “Le-David michtam” there (and presumably in all six of its occurrences) must be something else, of a more general nature.

Other scholars believe miktam is from the Hebrew word kethem, meaning “fine or stamped gold” and indicate the psalm was “as precious as stamped gold.” Along that line, the Amplified Bible calls the miktam psalms “a record of memorable thoughts.” While the designation may indicate the importance of the psalm, like maskil, miktam could just be a musical term. We don’t know.

What Do the Six Miktam Psalms Have in Common?

One feature that the NIV Study Bible does share about these particular miktam psalms is that they were written during times of great danger. These psalms carry a tone of refuge, confidence, protection, and God’s faithful presence in the darkest moments.

A Hebrew word study by Skip Moen states that only six psalms are titled miktams (Psalms 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60). Their commonalities include:

• they are all attributed to David
• they are lament poems
• the term miktam is part of the text included by the writer, not a separate title
• they are personal psalms (as opposed to the usual community-minded writings)
• they refer to personal deliverance from trouble

In my observation, the six miktams follow a pattern. First, David unburdens his soul to his God, holding nothing back. No pretense, no religious murmurings, just a heart in pain and fear opened to God. He describes his situation.

Then he moves to what he knows for sure:

• God is good
• God is just
• God is in control
• God knows my circumstances
• God does not change
• God loves and cares for me

Though the exact meaning remains uncertain, the common thread is unmistakable. A miktam is a psalm of deep, precious, enduring faith in the face of fear.

Psalm 16: A Miktam of Secure Trust

Psalm 16 is titled “A miktam of David.” The psalm expresses pure confidence in God’s protection and presence. David declares: “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” (Psalm 16:2)

Biblical References: 1. Psalm 16: This psalm is a profound expression of trust and confidence in the Lord. David declares, “Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge” (Psalm 16:1). The psalm highlights themes of divine protection, the joy of God’s presence, and the hope of eternal life.

Although Psalm 16:1 begins with a request (“Protect me, O God”), the other 10.5 verses declare supreme confidence in the fact that the Lord will not only protect but also give counsel, instruction, support, rest secure, the path of life, the fullness of joy, and “pleasures forevermore.”

Even more, there is here a somewhat counter-intuitive take on one’s dying day: “For you do not give me up to Sheol,” the psalmist claims, “or let your faithful one see the Pit.” Now that’s confidence. Or, at least, it’s wishful thinking in the face of facing one’s mortality. Or perhaps it’s just naked hope that this “faithful one” will not meet the same End as, oh, say, all other human beings that have ever lived.

Psalm 16 and the Resurrection of Christ

Psalm 16 also uniquely contains a prophetic reference to Christ’s resurrection (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:25-31). It is often seen as a Messianic psalm, pointing to the resurrection of Christ, as Peter and Paul reference it in Acts 2:25-28 and Acts 13:35.

Thanks to the very first sermon of the Christian movement - the sermon preached by Peter in Acts 2 - Psalm 16 has an explicit Jesus-connection. In his proclamation to those gathered around on that first Pentecost, Peter quoted the final three verses of Psalm 16, announcing that the words are about Jesus of Nazareth.

“Fellow Israelites,” he explained, “I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.” This was Peter’s way of saying that David’s words about not letting “your faithful one see the Pit” could not have been autobiographical.

In other words, since David was, at the time, pushing up daisies, the words of Psalm 16 couldn’t be about him, could they now? No. “But David was a prophet,” Peter continued, throwing King David a bone.

“David knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he [as opposed to David] was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body [as opposed to David’s body] see decay” (Acts 2:29-31).

For Christians, Psalm 16 is not only a miktam of David-it is a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus, who would not “see decay” and who found His refuge fully in the Father.

Psalms 56-60: Miktams Created in Crisis

The next five miktams appear together as a cluster, each tied to episodes of danger. Their headings reveal the emotional and historical backdrop: fear, pursuit, injustice, political chaos, and warfare.

Psalm 56: David Seized in Gath

Psalm 56 was written during a time when David was seized by the Philistines in Gath. It is a heartfelt plea for God’s mercy and deliverance. David proclaims, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You” (Psalm 56:3).

The psalm emphasizes God’s faithfulness and the assurance that He is aware of David’s suffering. Its opening words include the plea, “Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.”

Psalm 57: David in the Cave

Psalm 57 was composed when David fled from Saul into the cave. It is a declaration of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. David begins with, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in You my soul takes refuge” (Psalm 57:1).

The psalm transitions from a cry for help to a confident praise of God’s glory. Its setting also helps explain the interpretation of miktam as a hidden or secret prayer: David is in danger, concealed in a cave, and dependent on God as his refuge.

Psalm 58: A Plea for Justice

Psalm 58 addresses the corruption and injustice of earthly judges, calling upon God to act as the righteous judge. David writes, “Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?” (Psalm 58:1).

It reflects a deep yearning for divine justice and the ultimate triumph of righteousness. The danger in this psalm is not described only as personal pursuit; it also includes the disorder and injustice created by wicked rulers.

Psalm 59: David Watched by Saul’s Men

Psalm 59 was composed when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him. It is a plea for deliverance from enemies. David asserts, “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise against me” (Psalm 59:1).

The psalm contrasts the wickedness of David’s foes with God’s power and protection. Its historical background also supports the interpretation of miktam as a prayer offered secretly or under concealment: “they watched the house to kill him.”

Psalm 60: Conflict and Restoration

Psalm 60 is a communal lament following a military defeat, seeking God’s restoration and favor. David acknowledges, “You have rejected us, O God; You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us!” (Psalm 60:1).

It expresses confidence in God’s ability to grant victory and restore His people. The superscription associates the psalm with David’s conflict with Aram and Edom and with the return of Joab after military action in the Valley of Salt.

How Miktam Psalms Move from Fear to Faith

David’s miktams show that God invites our vulnerability, weakness, and honesty:

• “I am afraid.” (Psalm 56:3)
• “Enemies surround me.” (Psalm 57:4)
• “Rescue me from those who pursue me.” (Psalm 59:1)

But these emotions are never the end of the prayer. David pairs confession of fear with trust: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” (Psalm 56:3) “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.” (Psalm 57:5) Our distress becomes the doorway to deeper dependence.

These psalms are full of practical wisdom for devotion. They do not require a person to hide fear, sorrow, anger, or confusion before approaching God. Instead, they show a movement from a truthful description of danger toward a renewed declaration of who God is.

What Miktam Teaches About Worship in Hard Times

1. Miktams Teach Us How to Pray in Distress

These psalms were created in seasons of battle, pursuit, and danger. Yet they contain some of Scripture’s highest expressions of praise. David teaches us that worship is not displaced by trouble; rather, it is born of it.

A “miktam soul” says: “I will praise God even when things are going wrong in my life.” Whether we are dealing with:

• anxiety
• danger
• betrayal
• overwhelming stress
• spiritual attack
• emotional instability
• relational discord

David experienced all of it-and still worshiped. The miktams remind us that faith does not deny suffering; it declares God’s goodness in the midst.

2. Miktams Show That Hard Times Do Not Negate Worship

Understanding the meaning and tone of a miktam helps Christians learn how to worship God in their own trials. The six miktams show that faith is often strengthened, purified, and “engraved” during seasons of struggle.

David’s strongest declarations of faith in God were born in the darkest caves. We can take heart today knowing that our most challenging moments may become our deepest testimony.

3. Miktams Lead Christians to Christ

Jesus prayed through anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion (Luke 22:44), surrounded by His enemies. It’s reminiscent of David crying out to God when under attack.

But in Christ, the ultimate miktam is revealed: pure trust under pressure, perfect obedience in suffering, and ultimate victory over sin and death.

These psalms are often seen as prophetic, pointing to the life and work of Jesus Christ, particularly in their expressions of suffering, deliverance, and ultimate victory.

Miktam, Sheol, and the Hope of Deliverance

Speaking of the realm of the dead (Sheol in verse 10), consider this text an invitation to address the subject of Heaven, Hell, and where people go after they die. Or don’t. But if you do, and if you decide to focus on the biblical foundations for the concept of Hell, well, good luck to you.

In the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament, the word sheol does not easily correspond with hell or, for that matter, with heaven. Instead, like Hades of Greek mythology, Sheol is the realm of all the dead. Indeed, the Septuagint translates Sheol as Hades.

For some, Sheol is a place to rest in peace after death (e.g. Genesis 37:35 or Job 21:13). For others, it’s a place that swallows up the living as punishment for wickedness (e.g. Numbers 16:30-33).

For the most part, Sheol’s residents are not awake or aware and, except for one verse that mentions fire (Deuteronomy 32:22), Sheol does not appear to have much in common with the Inferno of eternal suffering imagined by Dante.

In the Gospels, there are two Greek words - hades and gehenna - that have been translated as “hell.” A third word, tartarus, is employed once, in 2 Peter 2:4. Only rarely (as in Luke 16:19-31) do Jesus’s descriptions of hades connote a place where a person endures prolonged suffering.

And nowhere does Jesus use the word hades or gehenna in conjunction with a place where a person consciously suffers for eternity. Instead, while using the term gehenna, Jesus describes an unquenchable fire where the wicked are utterly consumed (as in Matthew 10:28).

Why Christians Today Should Know the Word Miktam

1. It Encourages a Closer Reading of the Psalms

If we skip over superscriptions, without realizing they contain inspired context, we miss out on so much. Seeing “A Miktam of David” changes the way we read the psalm.

It tells us:

• this song came from distress
• the prayer carries lasting significance
• the Psalm reveals golden truth, forged in pain

The superscription does not provide a definitive dictionary definition of miktam, but it places the psalm within a recognizable spiritual and historical setting.

2. It Shows How God Shapes Faith Through Pressure

The six miktams show that faith is often strengthened, purified, and “engraved” during seasons of struggle. David’s strongest declarations of faith in God were born in the darkest caves.

These psalms become anchors for us as we encounter various trials in our lives. They can inform our prayers and worship as we use them in crying out to God.

3. It Anchors Faith in Eternal Truth

We live in an age of overwhelm, pressure, noise, and instability. The ancient miktams remind us:

• God is a refuge
• God sees our tears
• God rescues His people
• God is faithful in the darkest seasons
• God transforms sorrow into confidence
• God engraves His truth on hearts longing for stability

They reflect a deep personal relationship with God, characterized by honest communication and unwavering faith. The use of “Miktam” suggests a special significance or value, highlighting the enduring spiritual truths contained within these compositions.

How Miktam Relates to Other Uncertain Psalm Terms

Depending on the Bible translation used, there are five strange words we might encounter when reading the Psalms: maskil, miktam, shigionoth, gittith and selah.

Maskil

Maskil is seen in the titles of thirteen psalms and once in a psalm’s text (47:7). Believed to be derived from the Hebrew word sakal, meaning to be prudent, understand or ponder, maskil may indicate a psalm of wisdom with instructions for godliness.

It’s sometimes translated as a “contemplative poem,” “instruction,” or “skillful psalm.” It also could refer to the skillful construction of the psalm (like a sonnet with its 14 lines and fixed rhyme scheme).

The Amplified Bible covers both bases by calling a maskil “a skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem.” Since the maskil psalms don’t share a common theme or a unique form, maskil could just be a musical term relating to its performance and its exact meaning remains a mystery in the Psalter.

Shigionoth

Found only in the title of Psalm 7 and in Habakkuk 3:1, shigionoth usually is translated as prayer. Because its root word could be shagah, meaning reeling or going astray, it’s thought to indicate a wild passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm.

In Psalm 7, the Amplified Bible translates shigionoth as an “ode of David…in a wild, irregular, enthusiastic strain.”

Gittith

Three psalms have the strange heading of gittith. Associating it with the city of Gath where a harp was made, scholars assume the heading meant it was accompanied by a Gittite harp or sung to a Gittite tune.

Gittith also could refer to a wine press, indicating the psalms were sung during wine production. As with maskil, miktam, and shigionoth, its exact meaning remains a mystery.

Selah

Because those enigmatic terms typically are found only in a psalm’s title, their ambiguity doesn’t affect our appreciation of the psalm; selah, however, is different. Found within the text of 39 psalms and Habakkuk 3, selah bears notice.

It may be from the Hebrew word salal, meaning lift up or exalt, which could be an indication for the choir to lift their voices higher and louder in praise. Many scholars, however, believe selah comes from the Hebrew salah, meaning “to pause” and signifies a pause in the music or recitation.

Perhaps, selah means both: to praise and to pause. Thinking of selah as less important than a quarter rest on a music score, I used to skip by it. Like a musical rest, however, selah, shouldn’t be ignored.

While we don’t know its exact meaning, the Psalmists thought selah important enough to place it 71 times in Psalms and it should cause us to stop and reflect on the psalm’s previous words. Whenever selah occurs in the Amplified Bible, these words follow: “pause, and calmly think of that!”

Regardless of the Bible translation we use, that’s wise advice!

A miktam is more than a mysterious Hebrew term buried in the superscription of a few psalms. It is a window into the heart of David, and of biblical worship, revealing how faith is shaped in struggles and suffering.

Whether the word means “engraved,” “golden,” or “hidden,” the message is the same: God turns our deepest distress into enduring praise. And for the Christian, every miktam ultimately points to Christ-the One who prayed in agony, trusted the Father completely, overcame every enemy, and now holds our lives securely in His hands.

To know the word miktam is to know something of the God who meets us in crisis, steadies us in fear, and engraves His truth on our hearts forever.

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