Psalm 88

Psa 88:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "A MASKIL OF HEMAN THE EZRAHITE." See Lesson, Psalms, "Maschil". Heman the Ezrahite was Samuel's grandson (1Ch 6:33,34), and thus a Kohathite. He was a man of remarkable wisdom (1Ki 4:31), and head of one of the 3 sections of the music of the sanctuary (1Ch 15:17,19; 16:41,42; 2Ch 5:12), and the father of a large and quite musical family (1Ch 25:1,4-6; 2Ch 29:14; 35:15). (Ezrahite is almost certainly equivalent to "Zerahite" -- ref to a clan of Judah: 1Ch 2:6. This presents a slight genealogical difficulty, since Heman was plainly of the Levites. So either there was some sort of adoption in the picture, or -- more prob -- Heman was assigned as teacher and instructor to that section of the tribe of Judah.)

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Like Psa 86 and other previous psalms, this psalm is essentially one by David (vv 1-13), to which has been added a short extension (vv 14-18) by Hezekiah. This phenomenon, discernible in a number of psalms, is almost to be expected, because of the remarkable similarities of certain of the experiences of these two men of God: (a) David: In Psa 30 the suggestion is made that, at the time of God's judgment on Uzzah (2Sa 6:6,7), during the transferal of the Ark to Zion (cp Psa 87), David also came under the displeasure of God and suffered a very serious illness (PSS 1:173-176). Prob it is this which is so agonizingly refd to in the present psalm; when studied against this background, these vv make a most moving lament. (b) Hezekiah: This man also experienced a similar affliction. With a specific divine pronouncement: "Thou shalt die, and not live" (Isa 38:1; 2Ki 20:1), all hope should surely have been abandoned. But Hezekiah knew his God, and did not pray in vain. The isolation of v 18 suggests the nature of his affliction -- leprosy. And the encirclement (of enemies?) in v 17 may allude to the other great trial which came on the king, and his nation, at the same time as his sickness: ie the siege of Jerusalem by an Assyrian army. The six questions of vv 10-12 are the basis of Hezekiah's prayer for recovery: see Isa 38:18.

Psa 88:5

SET APART WITH THE DEAD: "Free among the dead" (AV). The word is commonly used of freedom from bondage; or, in the context of death, as having all earthly ties abolished. But the sw also describes a leper's house of isolation (2Ki 15:5; cp sense of vv 8,18 here).

WHOM YOU REMEMBER NO MORE: The writer for the moment feels like the dead whom God does not remember (ie Psa 49:12,20; Isa 26:14; Jer. 51:39,57), but he is in reality not like them at all! "Remember" suggests God's memorial -- His Covenant Name.

WHO ARE CUT OFF FROM YOUR CARE: Or "from your hand" (AV). Heb "yod" = the open hand, from which blessings are dispensed, as opposed to the closed fist ("egroph") of anger (Exo 21:18; Isa 58:4).

Psa 88:7

See Lesson, Selah.

Psa 88:8

YOU HAVE TAKEN FROM ME MY CLOSEST FRIENDS: (NT) It must have been a very sickening experience when many disciples reacted with: "This is an hard saying: who can hear it?" and then went back and walked no more with him (Joh 6:60,66).

AND HAVE MADE ME REPULSIVE TO THEM: (NT) Who hitherto had been his close adherents! This was true of Judas, no doubt, when he concluded bitterly that his Master was a false Messiah (Joh 6:70,71; 13:18-30).

CONFINED: Sw in Lev 13:4, re the leper. This is David! And Hezekiah! And Jesus (Isa 53:3)!

Psa 88:9

I SPREAD OUT MY HANDS TO YOU: (NT) As Peter did in turn to Jesus himself when failing to walk on the waters of Galilee: Mat 14:22-36 / Mar 6:45-56 / Joh 6:15-21; cp v 7 here ("Thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves").

Psa 88:10

DO THOSE WHO ARE DEAD RISE UP AND PRAISE YOU?: This "dead" (but nsw in v 5 and v 10a) is "rephaim". The RV mg and RSV, apparently following Gesenius, render this word by "shades" -- suggestive of ghosts and disembodied spirits and the like! This is erroneous, as is JT's rendering of rephaim as "healed ones" (Anas 44). The Rephaim were, in the first instance, an obscure race of Canaanites (Gen 14:5; 15:20), who seem to have perished early on in OT history (Deu 3:11). By the distinct parallelism of Psa 88:10-12, the word plainly sig, not only those who are dead, but esp those who have no hope of any future life. What better name for such than that of an extinct tribe, whose memory is practically lost in the mists of antiquity? Evidently this is all that is intended by the Heb "rephaim"; such a definition is more or less in accordance with the other usages of the word (Job 26:5; Pro 2:18; 9:18; 21:16; Isa 14:9; 26:14,19).

See Lesson, Selah.

Psa 88:14

FACE (of God): In Psalms, always ref God's presence in ark/tabernacle/temple: see VL, Pss, God's face.

Psa 88:15

FROM MY YOUTH I HAVE BEEN AFFLICTED AND CLOSE TO DEATH: (NT) The answers to the Passover question: "What mean ye by this service?" (Exo 12:26; Luk 2:46) had explained to the boy Jesus, even at the age of 12, the meaning of his life. Even as a boy, he knew that he had been born for the express purpose of dying!

Psa 88:17

ALL DAY LONG THEY SURROUND ME: (NT) John quotes these very words concerning the Lord's adversaries as their campaign against him mounted to a crisis (Joh 10:24; cp Mat 22:15,16,23,34,35). And later, when Jesus hung on the cross, the assembly of the wicked encircled and enclosed him (Psa 22:16; Mat 27:41; Mar 15:31).

Psa 88:18

(NT) Psa 38:11. Judas was estranged; others were overawed, or scared (Mar 15:40,41; Luk 23:49).