Title. - A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah. This sad complaint reads very little like a Song, nor can we conceive how it could be called by a name which denotes a song of praise or triumph; yet perhaps it was intentionally so called to show how faith "glories in tribulations also." Assuredly, if ever there was a song of sorrow and a Psalm of sadness, this is one. The sons of Korah, who had often united in chanting jubilant odes, are now bidden to take charge of this mournful dirge-like hymn. Servants and singers must not be choosers. To the chief Musician. He must superintend the singers and see that they do their duty well, for holy sorrow ought to be expressed with quite as much care as the most joyful praise; nothing should be slovenly in the Lord's house. It is more difficult to express sorrow fitly than it is to pour forth notes of gladness. Upon Mahalath Leannoth. This is translated by Alexander, "concerning afflictive sickness," and if this be correct, it indicates the mental malady which occasioned this plaintive song. Maschil. This term has occurred many times before, and the reader will remember that it indicates an instructive or didactic Psalm: - the sorrows of one saint are lessons to others; experimental teaching is exceedingly valuable. Of Heman the Ezrahite. This, probably, informs us as to its authorship; it was written by Heman, but which Heman it would not be easy to determine, though it will not be a very serious mistake if we suppose it to be the man alluded to in 1 Kings 4:31, as the brother of Ethan, and one of the five sons of Zerah (1 Chronicles 2:6), the son of Judah, and hence called "the Ezrahite:" if this be the man, he was famous for his wisdom, and his being in Egypt during the time of Pharaoh's oppression may help to account for the deep bass of his song, and for the antique form of many of the expressions, which are more after the manner of Job than David. There was, however, a Heman in David's day who was one of the grand trio of chic! musicians, "Heman, Asaph, and Ethan" (1 Chronicles 15:19), and no one can prove that this was not the composer. The point is of no consequence; whoever wrote the Psalm must have been a man of deep experience, who had done business on the great waters of soul trouble.

Subject and Divisions. - This Psalm is fragmentary, and the only division of any service to us would be that suggested by Albert Barnes, viz. - A description of the sick man's sufferings (Psalm 88:1-9), and a prayer for mercy and deliverance (Psalm 88:10-18). We shall, however, consider each verse separately, and so exhibit the better the incoherence of the author's grief. The reader had better first peruse the Psalm as a whole.

Hints to Preachers

Psalm 88:1. -

I. Confidence in prayer, - "God of my salvation."

II. Earnestness in prayer, - "I have cried."

III. Perseverance in prayer, - "Day and night." - G. R.

Psalm 88:2. - Prayer as an ambassador.

I. An audience sought, or the benefit of access.

II. Attention entreated, or the blessing of success.

III. The Process explained, or prayer comes and God inclines.

Psalm 88:3. -

I. A good man is exposed to inward troubles.

1. To soul troubles.

2. To the soul full of troubles.

II. To outward troubles. "My life," etc.

1. From outward persecutions.

2. From inward griefs.

III. To both inward and outward troubles at the same time. "Soul full," etc., "and my life," etc. - G. R.

Psalm 88:4 (last clause). - Conscious weakness, painfully felt, at certain times, in various duties. Intended to keep us humble, to drive us to our knees, and to bring greater glory to God.

Psalm 88:4, Psalm 88:5. -

I. The resemblance of the righteous man to the wicked.

1. In natural death.

2. In bodily infirmities.

II. His difference from them. He is "counted with them" but is not of them.

1. He experiences natural death only.

2. His strength is perfected in weakness.

3. For him to die is gain. - G. R.

Psalm 88:6, Psalm 88:7. -

I. What the afflictions of the people of God appear to be to themselves.

1. Extreme, - "laid me in the lowest pit."

2. Inexplicable, - "in darkness."

3. Humiliating, - "in the deeps."

4. Severe, - "thy wrath lieth hard."

5. Exhaustive, - "afflicted with all thy waves."

II. What they are in reality.

1. Not extreme, but light.

2. Not inexplicable, but according to the will of God.

3. Not humiliating, but elevating. "Humble yourselves under," etc.

4. Not severe, but gentle. Not in anger, but in love.

5. Not exhaustive, but partial. Not all thy waves, but a few ripples only. The slight motion in the harbour when there is a boisterous ocean beyond. - G. R.

Psalm 88:8 (last clause). - This may describe us when despondency is chronic, when trouble is overwhelming, when sickness detains us at home, when we feel restrained in Christian labour, or hampered in prayer.

Psalm 88:9. -

I. Sorrow before God, "Mine eye," etc.

II. Prayer to God, - "I have called," etc.

III. Waiting for God, - "called daily."

IV. Dependence on God, "I have stretched," etc. These hands can do nothing without thee. - G. R.

Psalm 88:10-12. -

I. The supposition.

1. That a child of God should be wholly dead.

2. That he should remain for ever in the grave.

3. That he should be destroyed.

4. That he should always remain in darkness.

5. That he should be entirely forgotten, as though he had never existed.

II. The consequences involved in this supposition.

1. God's wonders to them would cease.

2. His praise from them would be lost.

3. His lovingkindness to them would be unknown.

4. His faithfulness destroyed.

5. His wonders to them would be lost to others.

6. His former righteousness to them would be forgotten.

III. The plea founded upon these consequences, - "Wilt thou," etc. It cannot be that thy praise for grace shown to thy people can be lost, and none can render it but themselves. "Then what wilt thou do unto thy great name?" - G. R.

Psalm 88:13. -

I. Blessings delayed to prayer, - "Unto thee," etc.

II. Blessings anticipated by prayer, - "In the morning," etc. Daily mercies anticipated by morning prayers. - G. R.

Psalm 88:13 (last clause). - The advantages of early morning prayer-meetings.

Psalm 88:14. -

I. Afflictions are mysterious though just.

II. Just though mysterious.

Psalm 88:14. - Solemn enquiries, to be followed by searching examinations, by sorrowful confessions, stern self-denials, and sweet restorations.

Psalm 88:15. -

I. The afflictions of the righteous may be long continued though severe. "I am afflicted, etc., from my youth up."

II. Severe though long continued.

1. Painful, - "afflicted."

2. Threatening, - "ready to die."

3. Terrific, - "suffer thy terrors."

4. Distracting, - "I am," etc. - G. R.

Psalm 88:15. - The personal sufferings of Christ for the salvation of his people. - Sermon by Robert Hawker. Works, Vol. IV. p. 91.

Psalm 88:16. -

I. Good men are often tried men.

II. Tried men frequently misjudge the Lord's dealings.

III. The Lord does not take them at their word, he is better than their fears. - G. R.

Psalm 88:18. - The loss of friends intended to remind us of our own mortality, to wean us from earth, to lead us to more complete trust in the Lord, to chasten us for sin, and to draw us away to the great meeting place.

Psalm 88:18. - The words of our text will lead us to remark that,

I. The happiness of life greatly depends on intimate friendships.

II. The trial of parting with intimate friends is exceedingly painful.

III. In this, as indeed in every affliction, the best consolation is drawn from a belief in, and meditation upon, God's governing providence. - Joseph Lathrop, 1845.

Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings

Title

"Mahalath Leannoth." I lean to the idea, that the words Mahalath Leannoth are intended to denote some musical instrument of the plaintive order, and in this opinion Kimchi and other Jewish writers perfectly agree. They assert that it was a wind-instrument, answering very much to the flute, and employed mainly in giving utterance to sentiments of grief, upon occasions of great sorrow and lamentation. With this view of the title, I should look for no new translation, but should just read it substantially as our translators her, "A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the giver of victory, upon Mahalath Leannoth, an instruction for Heman, the Ezrahite." - John Morison.

Title

"Leannoth" is variously rendered, according as it is derived from ענה, anah, to suffer, be afflicted, or from ענה, anah, to chant, sing. Gesenius, De Wette, Dr. Davies, and others take the latter view; while Mudge, Hengstenberg, Alexander, and others take the former. Mudge translates, to create defection; Alexander renders, mahalath leannoth, concerning afflictive sickness; Hengstenberg reads, upon the distress of oppression. The Septuagint (ἀποκριφήναι) and the Vulgate (respondendum) indicate a responsive song, and Houbigant translates the words in question, for the choirs, that they may answer. Many etymologists consider the primary idea of ענה, anah, to sing, that of answering. The tone of the psalm in question, however, being decidedly that of sadness and defection, it appears more probable that leannoth denotes the strictly elegiac character of the performance, and the whole title may read therefore, "A Song or Psalm, for the sons of Korah, to the chief musician, upon the flutes [or the hollow instruments], to afflict [or cause dejection], a didactic Psalm of Heman, the Ezrahite." - F. G. Hibbard, in "The Psalms chronologically arranged, with Historical Introductions." New York, 1856.

Title

The explanation: - to be performed mournfully with subdued voice, agrees with the mournful contents, whose tone is even more gloomy than that of Psalm 77. - From "The Psalms, By G. B. Moll." [Lange's Series of Commentaries.]

Title

"Heman."

1. David was not the only man acquainted with sad exercise and affliction of spirit, for here is another, to wit, Heman the Ezrahite, as deep in trouble of spirit as he or any other beside.

2. They are not all men of weak minds and shallow wits who are acquainted with trouble of spirit, and borne down with the sense of God's wrath; for here is Heman, one amongst the wisest of all Israel (and inferior to none for wisdom, except to Solomon alone), under the heaviest exercise we can imagine possible for a saint.

3. When it pleaseth God to exercise a man of parts, of great gifts and graces, he can make his burden proportionable to his strength, and give him as much to do with the difficulties he puts him to, as a weaker man shall find in his exercise, as appeareth in the experience of Heman.

4. Wise men in their trouble must take the same course with the simpler sort of men; that is, they must run to God as others do, and seek relief only in his grace, who as he distributeth the measures of trouble, can also give comfort, ease, and deliverance from them, as the practice of Heman doth teach us.

5. What trouble of wounded spirit some of God's children have felt in former times, others dear to God may find the like in after ages, and all men ought to prepare for the like, and should not think the exercise strange when it cometh, but must comfort themselves in this, that other saints whose names are recorded in Scripture, have been under like affliction; for the Psalm is appointed "to give instruction"; it is "Maschil of Heman."

6. What is at one time matter of mourning to one of God's children, may become matter of joy and singing afterward, both to himself and to others, as this sad anguish of spirit in Heman is made a song of joy unto God's glory, and the comfort of all afflicted souls, labouring under the sense of sin and felt wrath of God, unto the world's end; it is "A Song, a Psalm for the sons of Korah."

7. Such as are most heartily afflicted in spirit, and do flee to God for reconciliation and consolation through Christ, have no reason to suspect themselves, that they are not esteemed of and loved as dear children, because they feel so much of God's wrath: for here is a saint who hath drunken of that cup (as deep as any who shall read this Psalm), here is one so much loved and honoured of God, as to be a Penman of Holy Scripture, and a pattern of faith and patience unto others; even Heman the Ezrahite. - David Dickson.

Whole Psalm

"We have in this Psalm the voice of our suffering Redeemer," says Horne; and the contents may be thus briefly stated -

1. The plaintive wailing of the suffering one, Psalm 88:1, Psalm 88:2. It strongly resembles Psalm 22:1, Psalm 22:2.