1 [[A Song H7892 or Psalm H4210 for the sons H1121 of Korah, H7141 to the chief Musician H5329 upon Mahalath H4257 Leannoth, H6031 Maschil H4905 of Heman H1968 the Ezrahite.]] H250 O LORD H3068 God H430 of my salvation, H3444 I have cried H6817 day H3117 and night H3915 before thee:
2 Let my prayer H8605 come H935 before H6440 thee: incline H5186 thine ear H241 unto my cry; H7440
3 For my soul H5315 is full H7646 of troubles: H7451 and my life H2416 draweth nigh H5060 unto the grave. H7585
4 I am counted H2803 with them that go down H3381 into the pit: H953 I am as a man H1397 that hath no strength: H353
5 Free H2670 among the dead, H4191 like the slain H2491 that lie H7901 in the grave, H6913 whom thou rememberest H2142 no more: and they are cut off H1504 from thy hand. H3027
6 Thou hast laid H7896 me in the lowest H8482 pit, H953 in darkness, H4285 in the deeps. H4688
7 Thy wrath H2534 lieth hard H5564 upon me, and thou hast afflicted H6031 me with all thy waves. H4867 Selah. H5542
8 Thou hast put away H7368 mine acquaintance H3045 far H7368 from me; thou hast made H7896 me an abomination H8441 unto them: I am shut up, H3607 and I cannot come forth. H3318
9 Mine eye H5869 mourneth H1669 by reason of affliction: H6040 LORD, H3068 I have called H7121 daily H3117 upon thee, I have stretched out H7849 my hands H3709 unto thee.
10 Wilt thou shew H6213 wonders H6382 to the dead? H4191 shall the dead H7496 arise H6965 and praise H3034 thee? Selah. H5542
11 Shall thy lovingkindness H2617 be declared H5608 in the grave? H6913 or thy faithfulness H530 in destruction? H11
12 Shall thy wonders H6382 be known H3045 in the dark? H2822 and thy righteousness H6666 in the land H776 of forgetfulness? H5388
13 But unto thee have I cried, H7768 O LORD; H3068 and in the morning H1242 shall my prayer H8605 prevent H6923 thee.
14 LORD, H3068 why castest thou off H2186 my soul? H5315 why hidest H5641 thou thy face H6440 from me?
15 I am afflicted H6041 and ready to die H1478 from my youth H5290 up: while I suffer H5375 thy terrors H367 I am distracted. H6323
16 Thy fierce wrath H2740 goeth over H5674 me; thy terrors H1161 have cut me off. H6789
17 They came round about H5437 me daily H3117 like water; H4325 they compassed H5362 me about together. H3162
18 Lover H157 and friend H7453 hast thou put far H7368 from me, and mine acquaintance H3045 into darkness. H4285
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 88
Commentary on Psalms 88 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 88
Ps 88:1-18. Upon Mahalath—either an instrument, as a lute, to be used as an accompaniment (Leannoth, "for singing") or, as others think, an enigmatic title (see on Ps 5:1, Ps 22:1, and Ps 45:1, titles), denoting the subject—that is, "sickness or disease, for humbling," the idea of spiritual maladies being often represented by disease (compare Ps 6:5, 6; 22:14, 15, &c.). On the other terms, see on Ps 42:1 and Ps 32:1. Heman and Ethan (see on Ps 89:1, title) were David's singers (1Ch 6:18, 33; 15:17), of the family of Kohath. If the persons alluded to (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6), they were probably adopted into the tribe of Judah. Though called a song, which usually implies joy (Ps 83:1), both the style and matter of the Psalm are very despondent; yet the appeals to God evince faith, and we may suppose that the word "song" might be extended to such compositions.
1, 2. Compare on the terms used, Ps 22:2; 31:2.
3. grave—literally, "hell" (Ps 16:10), death in wide sense.
4. go … pit—of destruction (Ps 28:1).
as a man—literally, "a stout man," whose strength is utterly gone.
5. Free … dead—Cut off from God's care, as are the slain, who, falling under His wrath, are left, no longer sustained by His hand.
6. Similar figures for distress in Ps 63:9; 69:3.
7. Compare Ps 38:2, on first, and Ps 42:7, on last clause.
8. Both cut off from sympathy and made hateful to friends (Ps 31:11).
9. Mine eye mourneth—literally, "decays," or fails, denoting exhaustion (Ps 6:7; 31:9).
I … called—(Ps 86:5, 7).
stretched out—for help (Ps 44:20).
10. shall the dead—the remains of ghosts.
arise—literally, "rise up," that is, as dead persons.
11, 12. amplify the foregoing, the whole purport (as Ps 6:5) being to contrast death and life as seasons for praising God.
13. prevent—meet—that is, he will diligently come before God for help (Ps 18:41).
14. On the terms (Ps 27:9; 74:1; 77:7).
15. from … youth up—all my life.
16, 17. the extremes of anguish and despair are depicted.
18. into darkness—Better omit "into"—"mine acquaintances (are) darkness," the gloom of death, &c. (Job 17:13, 14).