Shoshannimeduth
Shoshan'nim-e'duth (Heb. Shoshannim'Eduth', שֹׁשִׁנַּי ם עֵדוּת, lilies, a testimony; Sept. οἱ αλλοιωθησόμενοι, μαρτύριον; Vulg. ii qui commutabuntur testimonium), a phrase found in the title of Psalm 80 as a direction to the Chief musician, which appears, according to the most probable conjecture, to denote the melody or air "after" or "in the manner of which the psalm was to be sung." As the words now stand they must be regarded as probably a fragment of the beginning of an older Psalm with which the choir were familiar. Ewald gives what he considers the original meaning — "'lilies;' that is, pure, innocent, is 'the law;'" but the words will not bear this interpretation, nor is it possible in their present position to assign to them any certain meaning. For the conjectures of those who regard the words as the names of musical instruments, see the articles SEE SOSHANNIM; SEE SHUSHAN-EDUTH.
