Getting Started

A [a]Maskil of Asaph.  Psalm 78 title

Maskil – Another case where the Hebrew text isn’t included in the English psalm.  Here the introduction tells us that this song is from Asaph.  But this is a special kind of song.  It’s a מַסְכִיל (maskîl), a poem intended to promote insight.  The word comes from the verb śākal, which has at least nine different English translations.

Of the seventy-four times the verb form is used, all but two appear in the Hiphil stem. In many instances śākal is synonymous with bîn (see ḥokmâ for discussion of synonyms), but there is a fine distinction. While bîn indicates “distinguishing between,” śākal relates to an intelligent knowledge of the reason. There is the process of thinking through a complex arrangement of thoughts resulting in a wise dealing and use of good practical common sense. Another end result is the emphasis upon being successful.

śākal also involves one in what he considers, or pays attention to.^[1]

It’s as if we titled this poem:  Pay Attention!  You’re about to learn something important.

This is one of the longer psalms.  If we take it a verse at a time, we’ll be at it for quite a while.  So, we’ll pick and choose our investigations (but it would be best if you read the whole thing).  Some of these verses we have already mined.[2]  Perhaps we’ll discover even more if we look again, but for now we’ll start here, with maskîl.  By the way, this isn’t the only time this word is used.  It occurs twelve other times, all in the Psalms.  You’ll notice the footnote in the NASB text.  It reads: “Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm.”  But it’s more than that, isn’t it?  It’s insightful thought applied to life’s events and circumstances.  Let’s look beneath the covers, behind the curtain.  And not for simple answers, as we shall see, for there are a lot of very complex patterns in this song.  What we want here is depth.  And for that, we might find it will take a year to explore it all (no, don’t worry, I won’t expect you to put up with Psalm 78 for the next fifty weeks).  What we will attempt is to find those key words that take us to the heart of the matter:  Why does God still care about us after all we’ve done to dishonor Him?

Asaph announced the project in a single word: maskîl.  He expects his readers (singers?) to prepare for a journey—backward through history and inward to the souls of men.  If you’re ready, then we will begin soon.

Topical Index:  maskîl, insight, Psalm 78

^[1] Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., Jr., & Waltke, B. K. (Eds.). (1999). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 877). Chicago: Moody Press.

[2] https://skipmoen.com/2019/08/passing-it-on-2/   verse 4

https://skipmoen.com/2014/09/desire-4/   verse 18

https://skipmoen.com/2019/04/he-prepares-a-table-before-me/   verse 19

https://skipmoen.com/2011/04/lashon-hara/  verse  36