Psalms 88

A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.

The dismal complaint of this psalm has nothing to equal it in the entire Psalter, or to compare with it for sadness in the Old Testament, except Ecclesiastes and Lamentations of Jeremiah. It would be difficult to discover its claim to be classed as a Maschil, or instructive psalm, unless in view of its warning tone, considered as the lament of one suffering under the weight of retributive providence. Except Psalms 88:1; Psalms 88:13, no definite indication of hope or faith appears; yet, from the very fact of such complaint and supplication, faith is implied. The complaint must not be considered personal; the author speaks in behalf of the people. He suffers with them, but it is their affliction which is set forth. The psalm has been regarded as standing in intimate relation to Psalms 89:0, to Psalms 89:38-51 of which it bears resemblance, and Hengstenberg regards them as parts of one whole; but in other respects the strong faith of the latter stands in marked contrast with the unrelieved despondency of the one before us. Psalms 88:0 develops the complaint, while the second part, (Psalms 89:0,) brings forth the prayer of an oppressed but hopeful people. The internal evidence of both points us to the captivity, and Psalms 88:0, probably to the imprisonment of Jehoiachin, as the date and occasion of its origin. Jeremiah 22:23-30, (where Jehoiachin is called Coniah,) and Jer 52:31-34 ; 2 Kings 24:8-16. In Psalms 88:1-2 the psalmist pours forth an earnest cry for help; Psalms 88:3-9 describe his miserable condition, on which he grounds his supplication; Psalms 88:10-12 are a still further ground of plea, as showing that the glory of God can be better served in his salvation than in his destruction: Psalms 88:13 revives the prayer, which, with a description of his wretched state, continues to the end.

TITLE: The inscription is exuberant. The words שׁור מזמור , ( shir mizmor,) song-psalm, here as elsewhere, are difficult. They cannot make a simple tautology; and if they are a musical designation, perhaps the song denotes vocal, and the psalm, ( mizmor,) instrumental, performance.

Mahalath Gesenius, on a comparison of the Ethiopic, makes it a lyre, guitar, to be accompanied by the voice; but Furst, more simple, (though the words are from different roots,) derives it from the city of Abel-Meholah, (see Judges 7:22; 1 Kings 4:12; 1 Kings 19:16,) where it is supposed the musical choir lived. But whatever its derivation, the term had come to designate a musical mode, or instrument, as in Psalms 53:0, title, the only place of its occurrence elsewhere.

Leannoth Literally, To afflict, or cause affliction. Mudge: “To create dejection, to raise a pensive gloom or melancholy in the mind,” to which the whole psalm is adapted. The Septuagint reads, To answer, or, For responsive strains, αποκριθηναι , as in 1 Samuel 18:6-7, “the women answered one another as they played, and said,” etc. Hammond thinks the psalm should be divided into two parts: part first, Psalms 88:1-8; part second, Psalms 88:9-18: and that the responses were not in alternate lines or verses, but from the parts. Thus, the first voice giving Psalms 88:1, is answered by Psalms 88:9; Psalms 88:3, by Psalms 88:10, etc. But though this would give great effect to the execution, the former sense is better sustained. The Maschil, or causing to understand, must refer to the warning tone of the psalm from one who is suffering under the divine displeasure. His example is a beacon light to others.

Heman the Ezrahite, who stands as the author in the title, and “Ethan the Ezrahite” in title of Psalms 89:0, are not the same as the Heman and Ethan, Levites, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Chronicles 6:44. Their being Ezrahites or Zarhites that is, sons of Ezra or Zerah (for the aleph [ א ] in the name is prosthetic, or simply prefixed to Zerah, making it Ezrah, without at all affecting the identity of the name, which occurs indifferently in either form,) determines them to be a family of the tribe of Judah, called Ezrahites (1 Kings 4:31, of Hebrews text, Psalms 5:11,) and Zarhites, or “sons of Zerah.” 1 Chronicles 2:6. It was a wellknown patronymic in the tribe of Judah, (see Numbers 26:13; Numbers 26:20; Joshua 7:17-18; 1 Chronicles 27:11; 1 Chronicles 27:13,) but no such genealogical designation is given to the Ethan and Heman of the tribe of Levi. Of the Ezrahite or Zarhite family, Ethan and Heman were celebrated by being classed with the five wise men who were excelled in wisdom only by Solomon. 1 Kings 4:31. It would be natural for the authors, or subsequent compiler, of Psalms 88, 89 to identify them with their honourable ancestry, and add the sanction of their family renown to their productions. They appear nowhere else in the psalms, and of their history nothing further than the above references is given in the sacred annals. These circumstances of kindred ancestry of the authors of these two psalms, and their renown for wisdom, as we have seen in the references, though not proving the absolute unity of the psalms, as Hengstenberg has argued, may account for their marked resemblance. The authors being probably allied to the court of the kings of Judah would naturally enter into the great depth of the national catastrophe. The strong pleading of the covenant of David, (Psalms 89:19-37,) also coincides with this view.