Bible Encyclopedias

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Michtam

(Heb. miktam', מַכְתָּם, prob. for מַכְתָּב written; Sept. στηλογραφία, Vulg. tituli inscriptio), a term found in the titles of several psalms (16, 56, 57, 58, 60), and signifying a writing, i.e., a poem or song (see Gesenius, Thesaur. p. 724), like מַכְתָּב (miktab', "writing," in Isaiah 38:9). Others (as Luther, after Aben-Ezra, Kimchi, and others) unaptly translate it golden, i.e., precious, distinguished, as if from כֶּתֶם gold. Still others (as Hezel, Ewald) refer to an Arabic root meaning to conceal, as if written from retirement, or in a plaintive strain; and some (after the rabbins) make it a compound of מָךְ וְתָם, i.q. humble and perfect, referring to David. (See PSALMS).