From shaagah, "erred." An erratic melody betokening excitement and agitation (Ewald). Hengstenberg refers it to the subject of the psalms, "the aberrations of the wicked" (Habakkuk 3:1). In consonance with this the Hebrew root of Shiggaion occurs in Saul's address to David (1 Samuel 26:21), "behold I have played the fool and erred exceedingly" (compare Psalm 119:21; Psalm 119:118). Psalm 7 refers to David's being accused by Saul (the Benjamite, Cush the Ethiopian unchangeably black at heart toward David: Jeremiah 13:23; Amos 9:7; Cush similar to Kish, Saul's father) of plotting evil against him, whereas he returned good for evil in sparing Saul his deadly foe, when in his power (1 Samuel 24:7); "concerning the words" i.e. on account of the calumnies which men uttered against David to ingratiate themselves with the king, and which Saul gave ear to (1 Samuel 24:9; 1 Samuel 26:19). These David rebuts (Psalm 7:3-5).