Psalm 8/Notes/Grammar.V. 1.721590

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  • The word גִּתִּית (Gittith) occurs in the heading of Psalms 8, 81, and 84. The meaning of this word is unknown. It might refer to the name of either a musical instrument or a tune from the Philistine city Gath.[1] This view is supported by the Targum, כינורא דאייתי מגת[2] (“the lute that he brought from Gath”)[3] as well as by Rashi, כְּלִי זֶמֶר שֶׁבָּא מִגַּת[4] (“a musical instrument that came from Gath”). Since David spent some time as a vassal of the king of Gath, he could have become familiar with the instrument or tune then.[5] Some interpreters think the term גִּתִּית could actually be derived from the word גַּת meaning “winepress,”[6] in which case the term גִּתִּית would refer to “the celebration of the grape harvest at the Feast of Tabernacles.”[7] This view is supported by the LXX, ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν[8] (“over the wine vats”)[9] and Jerome Gall. and Heb., Pro torcularibus[10] (“for the winepresses”).
  1. ↑ HALOT 206–207.
  2. ↑ CAL.
  3. ↑ Stec 2004, 37.
  4. ↑ Rashi.
  5. ↑ TWOT 361.
  6. ↑ HALOT, BDB.
  7. ↑ TWOT 361.
  8. ↑ Göttingen Hexapla Database.
  9. ↑ NETS.
  10. ↑ Weber-Gryson 1994, 776-7.