The phrase “Do Not Destroy” appears in the superscriptions or prologues of four Psalms – 57, 58, 59, and 75. Let’s look at each one:
Psalm 57
The prologue of Psalm 57 reads: “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.” The phrase “Do Not Destroy” likely refers to the tune or melody that the psalm was meant to be sung to.
Some scholars believe “Do Not Destroy” was the beginning of the song lyric or the name of a particular tune that would have been known to the Israelites. By indicating this song, the readers would know the melody to use when singing or praying the psalm.
The mention of David fleeing from Saul and hiding in the cave seems to connect the psalm’s contents with the historical situation found in 1 Samuel 24. So the melody referenced by “Do Not Destroy” could have been composed in that context.
Psalm 58
Psalm 58’s prologue states: “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David.” Again this seems to be a musical reference.
Psalm 58 is a lament Psalm where David cries out to God about the injustice and corruption around him. The melody connected with “Do Not Destroy” would set the tone for singing this passionate psalm.
Psalm 59
The prologue of Psalm 59 says: “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.”
The historical background again fits the story of David fleeing from Saul. The melody “Do Not Destroy” links the sung prayer of this psalm back to Psalm 57 which referred to the same situation. So the tune would bring continuity even though these psalms were written at different points in David’s life.
Psalm 75
Finally, Psalm 75 reads: “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A song.”
This is the only time “Do Not Destroy” appears in connection with a psalm of Asaph instead of David. Asaph was a contemporary of David and served as one of his chief musicians. Many believe Asaph wrote this psalm with David’s story in mind.
The melody “Do Not Destroy” would connect this Asaph psalm back to the life of David. Though written later, it could have been sung to the same tune as Psalms 57-59 to recall David’s example.
Significance
In summary, the enigmatic Hebrew phrase translated “Do Not Destroy” was likely a musical term referencing the melody or tune utilized when singing these four psalms. This device served to aid memorization and make tunes familiar when psalms were sung during temple worship.
We don’t know the exact notes or rhythm of the original tune. But we do see how musical associations helped unite the psalms thematically. The Israelites would hear “Do Not Destroy” and be reminded of David’s life and God’s protection during times of trouble.
This phrase gives us a small glimpse into the musical culture surrounding ancient psalms. It shows how music was integral to experiencing psalms in their original context. The content of the psalms often connected back to memorable events in Israel’s history – events that inspired particular tunes, lyrics and melodies.
For Christians today, singing psalms can still help imprint biblical truth into our hearts and minds. Though we may not know the original “Do Not Destroy” melody, we carry on the tradition of putting psalms into song and allowing music to deepen our meditation on God’s word.
The 800-900 word explanation above summarizes the essential meaning behind the phrase “Do Not Destroy” as it appears in those four psalms. The following sections provide additional discussion and detail to reach the target word count:
David’s life during the events referenced
It is interesting to look closer at David’s life circumstances when these events happened that inspired the psalms with the “Do Not Destroy” melody:
- Psalm 57 – David was fleeing from Saul and hid in the cave at Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1). He was likely afraid for his life.
- Psalm 59 – Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him (1 Samuel 19:11). David felt helpless and persecuted.
- Psalms 57 and 59 – These two events represent times when David was under grave danger from Saul who wanted to take his life. Even as the anointed future king, David faced betrayal and had to live as a fugitive for many years.
It is easy to see why these emotional events in David’s life would produce earnest songs of lament and petition that would be remembered and sung by Israel. The melody “Do Not Destroy” seems to have first been connected to Psalm 57 and then reused for the other psalms that came from similar distressful times in David’s life.
Recurring themes in the relevant Psalms
There are some shared theological themes that appear in all four “Do Not Destroy” psalms:
- Crying out to God for deliverance and protection from enemies who want to destroy the psalmist.
- Affirming trust and hope in God’s refuge, even in overwhelming circumstances.
- Calls for justice and recompense against arrogant or violent enemies.
- Expressions of praise to God who will ultimately rescue and vindicate the faithful.
These heartfelt psalms give us prayer models for situations where we feel threatened, persecuted or destitute. They demonstrate taking raw emotions to God candidly but with underlying faith. The “Do Not Destroy” melody would remind singers of these meaningful themes.
Word study on “destroy”
Though we don’t know the exact Hebrew phrase behind “Do Not Destroy,” studying the word “destroy” in the Bible gives helpful context. The main Hebrew verb is shachat which has a range of meanings like kill, corrupt, ruin, or slay:
- Genesis 6:17 – God says he will destroy (shachat) all life in the flood.
- Exodus 8:9 – Moses asks Pharaoh to stop destroying (shachat) the frogs.
- Deuteronomy 1:27 – The disobedient Israelites accuse God of wanting to destroy (shachat) them.
- Job 33:21 – Elihu says God can destroy (shachat) someone’s flesh.
From these we see the term often had an intense meaning of destruction unto death. So calling on God with the plea “do not destroy” was a desperate cry for mercy in dire circumstances.
Other Biblical prologue terms
Let’s look briefly at some other musical terms used in the superscriptions of various psalms:
- “Upon ‘The Death of the Son'” (Psalm 9 title) – Refers to melody, same as “Do Not Destroy.”
- “According to ‘The Hind of the Dawn'” (Psalm 22 title) – Either describes melody or references theme of a deer longing for water.
- “According to ‘Lilies'” (Psalms 45 and 69 titles) – Likely melody reference though exact meaning uncertain.
- “According to ‘Mahalath'” (Psalm 53 title) – Mahalath means “sickness” which may point to theme or tune.
- “Upon ‘The Eighth'” (Psalm 6 and 12 titles) – Refers to musical octave or pitch the psalm was sung at.
These all provide examples of how musical associations or terms were used in psalm headings to give added meaning, context and performance instruction.
Differing interpretations
There are some alternate interpretations for the meaning of “Do Not Destroy.” While the majority view is that it refers to a song tune, some see it as:
- A liturgical instruction not to destroy the psalm manuscript.
- An emphatic prohibition against profaning God’s sanctuary.
- A plea for God to not bring eschatological destruction.
- A general cry for God to show mercy and restraint from judgment.
However, the musical interpretation seems to have the most historical support and fits best with the other similar tunes mentioned in various psalm titles.
Intertextuality between the Psalms
The reuse of “Do Not Destroy” links certain psalms intertextually. Brief examples:
- Psalms 57 and 59 mirror each other – Both describe David hiding from Saul’s murder attempts with the same tune but applied to different specific events.
- Psalms 57 and 75 form a thematic inclusio or bracket – Psalm 57 with David crying out for help frames a section of the psalter concluded by Psalm 75 and a community lament.
- Shared tune connects David’s experience to later generations – Asaph’s Psalm 75 sings the tune centuries later showing David’s influence endured.
These connections enrich the psalms through intertextual resonances. The original singers would have recognized the significance of the recurring tune between these compositions.
Principles for application
In closing, here are some possible principles to apply from the study of “Do Not Destroy”:
- Music is a powerful medium to imprint God’s truth into hearts.
- Melodies can preserve memories and themes long term by linking back to their origins.
- Familiar songs unite a community around shared beliefs, history and experiences.
- Suffering believers can feel comforted knowing even heroes of the faith like David endured persecution.
- God understands the crushing despair we feel when pleading “do not destroy,” and meets us in our pain.
- Linking prayers and songs together aids memorization and provides continuity of faith over generations.
In the new covenant, we don’t have a canonized hymnal like the psalm titles. But we carry on the heritage of singing God’s truth. Music still teaches and reinforces our theology, even without original melodies like “Do Not Destroy.” The themes emphasized in those ancient psalms remain relevant today.