Bible Encyclopedias

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Al-Taschith

(Hebrew al-tashcheth', אִלאּתִּשְׁחֵת , destroy not; Sept. μὴ διαφθείρῃς ), in the title of Psalms 57, 58, 59, 75, seems to have been the commencement or name of a kind of poem or song, to the melody of which these Psalms were to be sung or chanted. This is the view taken by Aben- Ezra (Comment. on Psalms 57). Others, however, of the Jewish interpreters (e.g. Rashi and Kimchi) regard these words as a compendium or motto to the contents of the Psalms to which it is prefixed. (See PSALMS).