Bible dictionaries

Michtam

What Bible dictionaries say about “Michtam”, one article after the other.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Michtam - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Writing; i.e., a poem or song found in the titles of Ps. 16; 56-60. Some translate the word "golden", i.e., precious. It is rendered in the LXX. by a word meaning "tablet inscription" or a "stelograph." The root of the word means to stamp or grave, and hence it is regarded as denoting a composition so precious as to be worthy to be engraven on a durable tablet for preservation; or, as others render, "a psalm precious as stamped gold," from the word kethem, "fine or stamped gold."

Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)

The article in Easton + Webster 1828

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)

mik'-tam.

See PSALMS.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2

The article in ISBE 1915

Smith’s Bible Dictionary

(golden psalm). This word occurs in the titles of six psalms (16,56-60), all of which are ascribed to David. The marginal reading of our Authorized Version is "a golden psalm," while in the Geneva version it is described as "a certain tune." From the position which it occupies in the title we may infer that michtam is a term applied to these psalms to denote their musical character, but beyond this everything is obscure.

William Smith; revised by F. N. Peloubet and M. A. Peloubet; CrossWire SWORD module Smith 1.3

The article in Smith