Reference: Shiggaion

Ps 7, title, and SHIGGIONOTH, Hab 3:1; probably song, or song of praise; perhaps some particular species of ode.

from the verb shagah, "to reel about through drink," occurs in the title of Ps 7. The plural form, shigionoth, is found in Hab 3:1. The word denotes a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion; a song of impassioned imagination accompanied with suitable music; a dithyrambic ode.

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" (Hab 3:1). In consonance with this the Hebrew root of Shiggaion occurs in Saul's address to David (1Sa 26:21), "behold I have played the fool and erred exceedingly" (compare Ps 119:21,118). Psalm 7 refers to David's being accused by Saul (the Benjamite, Cush the Ethiopian unchangeably black at heart toward David: Jer 13:23; Am 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 (1Sa 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 (1Sa 24:9; 26:19). These David rebuts (Ps 7:3-5).

Shigga'ion,

Ps 7:1

a particular kind of psalm, the specific character of which is now not known perhaps a "wild, mournful ode."