Miktam: Definition and Significance
As we read through the Psalms, we come across 'superscriptions' that follow just below the number of the psalm. These provide context for what was happening when the psalm was written, or give instruction to the musicians performing the psalm. Six psalms in the Bible use the term 'miktam' (also spelled 'michtam') in their superscription, but nowhere in the psalms is the term defined.
There are disagreements over the meaning of the term–in fact, the NIV Study Bible notes that miktam or michtam remains unexplained altogether. Yet Easton’s Bible Dictionary purports that it may have meant any of the following: 'golden', ‘precious’ 'inscription' or 'engraving,' depending on the psalm. Other interpretations include “atonement” or that it was a musical or liturgical term that would instruct the performers in a particular way.
One feature that the NIV Study Bible does share about these particular miktam psalms is that they were written during times of great danger. These psalms carry a tone of refuge, confidence, protection, and God’s faithful presence in the darkest moments. For Christians today, understanding the word miktam and how it relates to these psalms sheds light on how biblical worship arises from real human emotions and circumstances such as fear, sorrow, and danger—and transforms into unshakable trust in the Lord.
Miktam in the Bible: Key Psalms and Themes
Six psalms in Scripture carry the title miktam or michtam. These are:
All six are attributed to David, and many include superscriptions describing moments of danger, pursuit, betrayal, or warfare. Here’s how each psalm helps us understand the character of a miktam:
Psalm 16 – A Golden Psalm of Secure Trust
Matthew Henry’s commentary writes of Psalm 16: “This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a ‘golden’ psalm, a very precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea, than much fine gold, because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament”
The psalm expresses pure confidence in God’s protection and presence. David declares:
'You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.' (Psalm 16:2)
Psalm 16 also uniquely contains a prophetic reference to Christ’s resurrection (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:25–31). If the word miktam carries the sense of 'precious,' this psalm’s eternal significance fits that meaning perfectly.
Psalms 56–60 – Miktams Created in Crisis
The next five miktams appear together as a cluster, each tied to episodes of danger:
Psalm 56: When the Philistines seized David in Gath
Psalm 57: When David fled from Saul into the cave
Psalm 58: A plea for justice against wicked rulers
Psalm 59: When Saul sent men to watch David’s house to kill him
Psalm 60: During military conflict with the nations of Aram and Edom
These headings reveal the emotional and historical backdrop: fear, pursuit, injustice, political chaos, and warfare. In each, David writes of God’s ability to protect and bring justice.
Why Is the Term 'Miktam' Used in David’s Psalms?
As we’ve already discussed, the meaning of miktam is debated, but three main interpretations have stood out historically. Each one helps us understand why these particular psalms bear this unique label.
1. Miktam as 'A Poem Engraved'
Some scholars trace the word to a Hebrew or Akkadian root meaning “to engrave or carve.” If so, a miktam is a prayer so important it is 'etched' permanently—almost like inscribing truth on stone. David’s crisis-born prayers were not temporary cries. They became lasting testimonies of God’s faithfulness.
2. Miktam as 'A Golden Song'
Jewish tradition sometimes connects the word to a root meaning “gold”—worthy, precious, or highly valued.
In this interpretation, a miktam is a 'golden psalm'—something of enduring beauty and worth. David’s darkest seasons produced some of the richest treasures of worship. Charles Spurgeon leaned toward this meaning, saying Psalm 16 deserved the title michtam because it shines with 'the golden glory of faith.'
3. Miktam as 'A Secret or Hidden Prayer'
Another interpretation links miktam to a term meaning secret, 'covered,' or 'hidden.' This reflects David’s situation in the cave (Psalm 57) or hiding from Saul (Psalm 59). In this view, a miktam is a hushed, intimate prayer whispered in danger—a secret communion of the soul with God.
Though the exact meaning remains uncertain, the common thread is unmistakable. A miktam is a psalm of deep, precious, enduring faith in the face of fear.
Miktam in Worship and Devotion
Understanding the meaning and tone of a miktam helps Christians learn how to worship God in their own trials. These psalms are full of practical wisdom for devotion:
1. Miktams Teach Us How to Pray in Distress
David’s miktams show that God invites our vulnerability, weakness, and honesty:
'I am afraid.' (Psalm 56:3)
'Enemies surround me.' (Psalm 57:4)
'Rescue me from those who pursue me.' (Psalm 59:1)
But these emotions are never the end of the prayer. David pairs confession of fear with trust:
'When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.' (Psalm 56:3)
'Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.' (Psalm 57:5)
Our distress becomes the doorway to deeper dependence.
2. Miktams Remind Us That Hard Times Do Not Negate Worship
These psalms were created in seasons of battle, pursuit, and danger. Yet they contain some of Scripture’s highest expressions of praise. David teaches us that worship is not displaced by trouble; rather, it is born of it.
A ‘miktam soul’ says: 'I will praise God even when things are going wrong in my life.' Whether we are dealing with:
- anxiety
- danger
- betrayal
- overwhelming stress
- spiritual attack
- emotional instability
- relational discord
David experienced all of it—and still worshiped. The miktams remind us that faith does not deny suffering; it declares God’s goodness in the midst
3. Miktams Lead Us to Christ
Psalm 16 is not only a miktam of David—it is a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus, who would not 'see decay' and who found His refuge fully in the Father.
Jesus prayed through anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion (Luke 22:44), surrounded by His enemies. It’s reminiscent of David crying out to God when under attack. But in Christ, the ultimate miktam is revealed: pure trust under pressure, perfect obedience in suffering, and ultimate victory over sin and death.
Why Christians Today Should Know This Word
Rediscovering the meaning of miktam/michtam matters for several reasons:
1. It Causes Us to Look More Closely at the Psalms
If we skip over superscriptions, without realizing they contain inspired context, we miss out on so much. Seeing 'A Miktam of David' changes the way we read the psalm.
It tells us:
this song came from distress
the prayer carries lasting significance
the Psalm reveals golden truth, forged in pain
2. It Helps Us See How God Shapes Faith Through Pressure
The six miktams show that faith is often strengthened, purified, and 'engraved' during seasons of struggle. David’s strongest declarations of faith in God were born in the darkest caves. We can take heart today knowing that our most challenging moments may become our deepest testimony.
3. It Anchors Our Faith in Eternal Truth
We live in an age of overwhelm, pressure, noise, and instability. The ancient miktams remind us:
God is a refuge
God sees our tears
God rescues His people
God is faithful in the darkest seasons
God transforms sorrow into confidence
God engraves His truth on hearts longing for stability
These psalms become anchors for us as we encounter various trials in our lives. They can inform our prayers and worship as we use them in crying out to God.
A miktam is more than a mysterious Hebrew term buried in the superscription of a few psalms. It is a window into the heart of David, and of biblical worship, revealing how faith is shaped in struggles and suffering.
Whether the word means 'engraved,' 'golden,' or 'hidden,' the message is the same: God turns our deepest distress into enduring praise.
And for the Christian, every miktam ultimately points to Christ—the One who prayed in agony, trusted the Father completely, overcame every enemy, and now holds our lives securely in His hands. To know the word miktam is to know something of the God who meets us in crisis, steadies us in fear, and engraves His truth on our hearts forever.
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Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
