altaschith Summary and Overview

destroy not, the title of Ps. 57, 58, 59, and 75. It was probably the name of some song to the melody of which these psalms were to be chanted.

The title of Psalm 57; 58; 59; 75: The maxim of David amidst persecutions, embodying the spirit of his psalm (Kimchi); drawn from Deuteronomy 9:26, Moses' prayer, "Destroy not Thy people and Thine inheritance, whom Thou hast redeemed." He used the same "destroy not" in 1 Samuel 26:9, to Abishai, who urged him to slay Saul when in his power. We can say "destroy not" to God only when we ourselves beat' no malice to our enemies. Aben Ezra less probably explains "some song named so, to the tune of which the psalm was to be chanted."