away and be freed from these exceedingly painful happenings. David was going through

a similar trial as his greater Son centuries later Who was betrayed by one of his intimate

circle, namely Judas. Judas, like Ahithophel, went and hanged himself (II Sam. 17: 23;

Matt. 27: 5-8).

At this juncture it will be helpful for us to look at the meaning of some of the Hebrew

words which occur in connection with the Psalm titles.

The first word occurs in connection with Psa. 44: and 68: (not 45: and 69: as

in the A.V.). Certain Psalms were used on special occasions in the Temple worship just

as there are some designated as "proper Psalms" for certain days in our modern churches.

The great feasts of Passover and Tabernacles would certainly have their own proper

Psalms, for they were the first and last of Jehovah's feasts as commanded in Lev. 23:

and marked the beginning and ending of Israel's religious year which covered a span of

seven months. Shoshannim means lilies and gittith means wine-presses. Passover was

the spring feast and Tabernacles was the autumn feast. The universal symbol of spring is

flower and of autumn, fruit. In Bible lands, lilies are spring flowers and grapes and

pomegranates are fruits of autumn.  Moreover, the nation of Israel is repeatedly

symbolized as a vine (Isa. 5: 1-7; xxvii.2-6; Jer. 2: 21; 12: 10; Psa. 80: 8; Hos. 10: 1).

It was also represented as a lily (see 2 Esdras 5:23-28 R.V. and Hos. 14:5-7). Lilies and

pomegranates were seen everywhere in the Temple (I Kings 7: 18-20).

Thus the lily represented spring and the spring feast of Passover which sets forth

redemption.  Pomegranates represented autumn and the feast of Tabernacles which

shadows forth the realization of the earthly kingdom with redeemed Israel enjoying their

earthly inheritance and God's purpose for the whole earth at last bearing fruit and

becoming a wonderful reality.

Shoshannim is also connected with the word eduth which means testimony and

belongs to Psa. 59: and 79: not 60: and 80: as in the A.V. The probability is that

these Psalms were linked with the conclusion of Passover, 50 days later, namely

Pentecost, or the Feast of weeks. This was to be done when Israel came into the

promised land. It could not be kept in the wilderness. Passover celebrates and portrays

the Lord's mighty deliverance of His people from the bondage of Egypt. The divine

purpose was not complete until they set foot in the land (Exod. 3: 8; Lev. 23: 10-21).

Moses testifies "He brought us out from thence that He might being us in" (Deut. 6: 23).

This conclusion was celebrated in the two Psalms mentioned above, even though there

were enemies in the land, yet in the power of Jehovah they could be subdued.

This is generally translated as meaning "the death of the champion" and interpreted by

some of Goliath. It is of course linked with Psa. 8: and not Psa. 9: as in our English

version. The Septuagint however renders it quite differently. "Concerning the secrets of