Shall anyone make it known there? It means properly. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me - Like waters. A Psalm of z the Sons of Korah. True (if you haven't already, read it now), it seems to be a picture of un-alleviated misery, seldom found anywhere in the Scriptures. It is not, as DeWette supposes, that he was weak and feeble, as the spirits of the departed are represented to be (compare the notes at Isaiah 14:9-11), but that the dead are made free from the burdens, the toils, the calamities, the servitudes of life; that they are like those who are emancipated from bondage (compare Job 7:1-2; Job 14:6); that death comes to discharge them, or to set them at liberty. According to the other signification it would refer to affliction, and would be little more than a repetition of the idea implied in the word Mahalath. Bibliography InformationBarnes, Albert. But the pleas here used were peculiarly suited to Christ. How often are good people constrained to ask this question! Thy terrors have cut me off - That is, I am as one already dead; I am so near to death that I may be spoken of as dead. Compare Job 12:14. Worst of all, he is crying out to God wondering where God is in all his suffering. To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. But the wrath of God poured the greatest bitterness into his cup. These bodily sufferings he interpreted, in the sad and gloomy state of mind in which he was, as evidences of the divine displeasure against himself. See the notes at Psalm 88:8. The answer to this question cannot be fully given in this world; there will be an answer furnished doubtless in the future life. 1. So the psalmist applies the expression here to himself, as if he had already reached that point; as if it were so certain that he must die that he could speak of it as if it had occurred; as if he were actually in the condition of the dead. These short commentaries are based on Level A EasyEnglish (about 1200 word vocabulary) by Gordon Churchyard. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. It’s too raw. This is a part of the general description, illustrating the ideas then entertained of the state of the dead; that they would be weak and feeble; that they could see nothing; that even the memory would fail, and the recollection of former things pass from the mind. 1 A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. Probably the psalmist described his own case, yet he leads to Christ. (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 2:3-6) The superscription does not provide sufficient detail to determine exactly how the sons of Korah and Heman are associated with Psalm 88. (2) free, as opposed to a slave or a captive; The word is translated “free” in Exodus 21:2, Exodus 21:5, Exodus 21:26-27; Deuteronomy 15:12-13, Deuteronomy 15:18; 1 Samuel 17:25; Job 3:19; Job 39:5; Isaiah 58:6; Jeremiah 34:9-11, Jeremiah 34:14; and at liberty in Jeremiah 34:16. 4:31; 1 Chr. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. The words rendered “lowest pit” mean literally the pit under, or beneath. And my life draweth nigh unto the grave - Hebrew, to Sheol. All forsook him, and fled. In this case, the author is David, and he’s reflecting on nature. UCG.org / Bible Study Tools / Bible Commentary / Bible Commentary: Psalm 88. This he expresses in the usual language; but it is evident that he did not admit any comfort into his mind from the idea of freedom in the grave. 1 A prayer of Moses, the man of God.. 88:1 and may be an example of inclusio. (10-18) 1-9 The first words of the psalmist are the only words of comfort and support in this psalm. The reference is to the sepulchre, as in Psalm 88:4. With all thy waves - literally, “thy breakers;” that is, with expressions of wrath like the waves of the sea, which foam and break on the shore. While I suffer thy terrors - I bear those things which produce terror; or, which fill my mind with alarm; to wit, the fear of death, and the dread of the future world. (1-9) He wrestles by faith, in his prayer to God for comfort. Jonathan Parnell Jul 27, 2014 4.1K Shares God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him Learn more about Desiring God Desiring God. My friends are not to be seen. - In the place where destruction seems to reign; where human hopes perish; where the body moulders back to dust. On the meaning of the word used here, and on the idea expressed, see the notes at Psalm 42:7. 1 LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. So we shall all moulder in the grave - in that deep, dark, cold, silent, repulsive abode, as if even God had forgotten us. This psalm is a lamentation, one of the most melancholy of all the psalms; and it does not conclude, as usually the melancholy psalms do, with the least intimation of comfort or joy, but, from first to last, it is mourning and woe. The title of this psalm is A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite. In all these places (except in 1 Samuel 17:25, where it refers to a house or family made free, and Job 39:5, where it refers to the freedom of the wild ass), it denotes the freedom of one who had been a servant or slave. Death is naturally gloomy; and when the light of religion does not shine upon the soul, and its comforts do not fill the heart, it is but natural that the mind should be full of gloom. My first business in the morning shall be prayer. 2 Let my prayer come before you; e incline your ear to my cry! Check it out and I'm sure you'll agree. 2 Before the mountains were born,. Let my prayer come before you, Bend your ear to my ringing cry. PSALM 89 * A Lament over God’s Promise to David. After much thought and study of Psalms 88, the typical commentary appraisal is it is entirely negative, totally given to the expression of grief and despair. It may have been to accord with the fact that man has two kinds of life; the animal life - or life in common with the inferior creation; and intellectual, or higher life - the life of the soul. I picture a toddler in God’s arms wrestling, struggling, and complaining—all the while being held. And I cannot come forth - I cannot leave my couch, my room, my house. Jesus references Psalm 8:2 when he comes into Jerusalem and the children are singing to him. (A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of … Bible commentary on the Book of Psalms, chapter 88, by Dr. Bob Utley, retired professor of hermeneutics. Psalm 88 is the 88th psalm from the Book of Psalms.According to the title, it is a "psalm of the sons of Korah" as well as a "maskil of Heman the Ezrahite".In the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation in the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 87 in a slightly different numbering system. Pulpit Commentary: This is the darkest, saddest psalm of all the Psalms. An EasyEnglish Translation with Notes (about 1200 word vocabulary) on Psalm 89. www.easyenglish.bible. 11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon? Crying out to God with your complaints in difficult times is evidence of faith, not a lack of faith. Shall anyone there dwell on the fidelity - the truthfulness - of God, in such a way as to honor him? Now, let me briefly cite the places where this psalm is used in the New Testament. Psalm 89 – The Incomparable God and His Covenant to David. 2 I will sing of your mercy forever, LORD a. proclaim your faithfulness through all ages. O L ord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, 2. let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to … He was about to die. There are many examples of this type of psalm in the book of Psalms (for example, Psalms 93, 136, 150). 1 O Lord, # Ps. Psalm 89. In Job 3:19, it has reference to the grave, and to the fact that the grave delivers a slave or servant from obligation to his master: “And the servant is free from his master.” This is the idea, I apprehend, here. It is, in this respect, unlike most of the psalms which relate to sickness, to sorrow, to suffering, for in those psalms generally there springs up, in answer to prayer, a gleam of hope - some cheerful view - some sustaining prospect; so that, though a psalm begins in despondency and gloom, it ends with joy and triumph. Compare Isaiah 38:18. His whole life was labour and sorrow; he was afflicted as never man was, from his youth up. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. Plug in, Turn on and Be En light ened! Selah. According to mahalath leannoth. 3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. Unless he found relief he must go down to the abodes of the dead. For my being is saturated in miseries And my life reaches to touch Sheol. And thou hast afflicted me - Thou hast oppressed me, or broken me down. As the Book of Psalms was designed to be useful in all ages, and to all classes of people, and as such a state of mind as that described in this psalm might occur again and often - it was proper that such a condition of utter despondency, even in a good man, should be described, in order that others might see that such feelings are not necessarily inconsistent with true religion, and do not prove that even such a sufferer is not a child of God. Psalms 88 Commentary, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary provides a free-flowing commentary on the entire text of each biblical book, along with background material. I am counted with them that go down into the pit - I am so near to death that I may be reckoned already as among the dead. How difficult, too, it is to answer the question, and to see why that God who has all power, and who is infinitely benevolent, does not interpose to deliver his people in affliction! - Why dost thou not lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, and show me thy favor? The … The Book of Psalms Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET PSALM 88 Psa 88:1-18. the earth and the world brought forth, from eternity to eternity you are God. In darkness - The dark grave; the realms of the dead. The word rendered as “full” means properly to satiate as with food; that is, when as much had been taken as could be. The Psalms: 88: A Prayer for Deliverance from Death: A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Ma'halath Le-an'noth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. See Psalm 42:7. Incline thine ear unto my cry - See the notes at Psalm 5:1. This psalm is altogether of a mournful and desponding character. StudyLıght.org. It is heavy and pours over him. It is difficult to translate the phrase, but it might be somewhat literally rendered, “concerning sickness - to be said or sung;” that is, in reference to it. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. According to mahalath leannoth. Thus are we called to look unto Jesus, wounded and bruised for our iniquities. They had been cut down, and were forgotten - as if God regarded them no more. The reasons for the earnestness of the prayer, or the grounds of petition are. And they are cut off from thy hand - Margin, “by.” The Hebrew is literally “from thy hand,” but still the idea is that it was by the agency of God. Beneath all this, there may be true love to God; beyond all this, there may be a bright world to which the sufferer will come, and where he will forever dwell. It relates to the supposed dark, dismal, gloomy, inactive state of the dead. Psalms 88:5. 2 Let my prayer come before you; e incline your ear to my cry! The word means properly an object to be detested or abominated, as things unclean, Genesis 43:32; or as idolatry, 1 Kings 14:24; 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 23:13. Let my prayer come before thee - As if there were something which hindered it, or which had obstructed the way to the throne of grace; as if God repelled it from him, and turned away his ear, and would not hear. According to Mahalath Leannoth. The words, “upon Mahalath Leannoth,” are of very uncertain signification. "Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction" (Psalms 88:9 a). Such is often the case in sickness; and consequently what we need, to prepare us for sickness, is a strong faith, built on a solid foundation while we are in health; such an intelligent and firm faith that when the hour of sickness shall come we shall have nothing else to do but to believe, and to take the comfort of believing. Psalm 8 Commentary: Psalm 8 is a reflective or meditative psalm. See the notes at Job 10:21-22. Psalm 88. The superscription for this Lament Psalm attributes it to Heman the Ezrahite, whose wisdom was only bested by Solomon himself (1 Kings 4:31). The psalm is said, in the title, to be “A Psalm or Song for (margin, of) the sons of Korah” - combining, in some way unknown to us, as several of the other psalms do, the properties of both a psalm and a song. For the choir director; according to Mahalath, Leannoth. They are rendered by the Septuagint and the Vulgate “for Maeleth, to answer;” by Luther, “to sing, of the weakness of the miserable;” by Prof. Alexander, “concerning afflictive sickness.” The word “Mahalath” seems here to be a form of מחלה machăleh which means properly, “sickness, disease.” It is rendered, with a slight variation in the pointing, “disease” in 2 Chronicles 21:15; Exodus 15:26; “infirmity,” in Proverbs 18:14; and “sickness” in Exodus 23:25; 1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28. PSALM 88 Translation by Marshall H. Lewis A song. The Title of this eighty-seventh Psalm contains a fresh subject for enquiry: the words occurring here, for Melech to respond, being nowhere else found. Permission to Feel Despondent (Psalm 88) 1. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. Psalm 8 is a hymn of praise. After much thought and study of Psalms 88, the typical commentary appraisal is it is entirely negative, totally given to the expression of grief and despair. Or thy faithfulness in destruction? A Song. Search Tools. - The original word, here rendered “the dead,” is Rephaim - רפאים rephâ'iym On its meaning, see the notes at Isaiah 14:9. A Psalm of the Korahites. See how deep those terrors wounded the psalmist. For my soul is full of troubles - I am full of trouble. 1 O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: 2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; 3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. Departed souls may declare God's faithfulness, justice, and lovingkindness; but deceased bodies can neither receive God's favours in comfort, nor return them in praise. Jonathan Parnell Jul 27, 2014 4.1K Shares God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him Learn more about Desiring God Desiring God. It is so manifest to others that I must die - that my disease is mortal - that they already speak of me as dead. And in particular he’s meditating on man’s place in relation to nature. I am afflicted and ready to die - I am so afflicted - so crushed with sorrow and trouble - that my strength is nearly gone, and I can endure it but a little longer. Follow Desiring God on Facebook. Compare Job 16:20, note; Isaiah 38:3, note; Psalm 6:6, note. His trouble is *like the sea. Psalm 88 is one of the thirteen psalms called A Contemplation, which according to James Montgomery Boice might be better understood as “instruction.” As for the author and singer of the psalm, Heman the Ezrahite, there are many mentions of a Heman in the days of David and Solomon. Psalm 88 [a] A song. It is a clear and judicious explanation of the text, and cannot be dispensed with. 12 Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? I Cry Out Day and Night Before You - A Song. Bible Verse; Newest; Oldest; Most Viewed; Most Shared; Article. 3 For my soul is full of troubles, and f my life draws near to g Sheol. 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