Bible Dictionaries
Maschil

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a title, or inscription, at the head of several psalms of David and others, in the book of Psalms. Thus Psalms 32 is inscribed, "A Psalm of David, Maschil;" and Psalms 42, "To the chief musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah." The word Maschil, in the Hebrew, signifies, "he that instructs;" though some interpreters take it for the name of a musical instrument. Some of the rabbins believe that, in repeating the psalms which have this inscription, it was usual to add an interpretation or explication to them. Others, on the contrary, think it shows the clearness and perspicuity of such psalms, and that they needed no particular explication. The most probable opinion is, that Maschil means an instructive song.

Bibliography Information
Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Maschil'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​wtd/​m/maschil.html. 1831-2.