This psalm of Heman is a psalm of lament where he feels there is no end to his suffering. He appears to be suffering from some kind of disease, probably leprosy, which he’s had since he was young and has come to the conclusion that he would die from this disease.
Although the headings aren’t inspired by God, they are important because they give us some understanding of the Psalm and they help us to see why it was written. The headings usually tell us four things.
1. Who wrote them, probably wrote them, or possibly wrote them.
2. Information about the historical background to the Psalm. Why it was written.
3. They tell us of the tune the Psalm was written to.
4. How it was used.
The heading tells us that this was written for the director of music. Some commentators believe that the ‘director of music’ is God Himself and others believe that it is a song leader who led choirs or musicians, 1 Chronicles 6:33 / 1 Chronicles 16:17 / 1 Chronicles 25:6.
The sons of Korah were Levites, from the family of Kohath, who by the time of David, served in the musical aspect of the temple worship, 1 Chronicles 9:19 / 1 Chronicles 26:1 / 1 Chronicles 26:19 / 2 Chronicles 20:19. It was David who originally organised the temple singers, 1 Chronicles 15:17 / 1 Chronicles 16:41-42 / 1 Chronicles 25:4-5.
Korah is probably most famous for his role in the rebellion against Moses during the wilderness days of the Exodus, Numbers 16 / Jude 11. God judged Korah and his leaders and they all died, but the sons of Korah remained, Numbers 26:9-11. It’s possible they were so grateful for this mercy that they became prominent in Israel for praising God.
Psalm 53, also mentions the Mahalath, but no one really knows what the words, ‘Mahalath Leannoth’ mean, although some commentators suggest it refers to the musical instrument upon which the song was composed.
Other commentators believe it’s speaking of some kind of disease like leprosy, which would fit with the psalm, 2 Chronicles 21:15 / Exodus 15:26 / Proverbs 18:14 / Exodus 23:25 / 1 Kings 8:37 / 2 Chronicles 6:28.
No one really knows what the word ‘maskil’ means, some believe it’s a musical term or a literary term. The word is used thirteen times throughout the Psalms, Psalm 32 / Psalm 42 / Psalm 44 / Psalm 45 / Psalm 52 / Psalm 53 / Psalm 54 / Psalm 55 / Psalm 74 / Psalm 78 / Psalm 88 / Psalm 89 / Psalm 142. The word is also used in Amos 5:13.
Heman is mentioned many times during the times of David and Solomon, 1 Kings 4:31 / 1 Chronicles 6:33 / 1 Chronicles 15:17-19 / 1 Chronicles 16:41-42 / 1 Chronicles 25:1 / 1 Chronicles 25:5-6 / 2 Chronicles 5:12 / 2 Chronicles 35:15.
Heman begins by saying that God is the one who saves and he cries out to God constantly in prayer for deliverance day and night, Psalm 88:1. He prays that God will hear his prayer, and his cries, Psalm 88:2, which tells us how desperate he is for deliverance, Psalm 5:1.
He is feeling overwhelmed with his troubles and concludes that he was near death and he had resigned himself to death, Psalm 88:3 / Isaiah 14:9 / Job 10:21-22. He feels he is counted among those who go down to the pit, Psalm 88:4, that is, his friends expect him to die anytime soon, Job 3:19 / Psalm 22.
It’s clear that Heman feels like he’s in a dark place mentally and spiritually, he’s weak and fears being set apart with the dead who lie in the grave, Psalm 88:5. In other words, he fears that his death will not only separate him from all his earthly relationships but also separate him from his relationship with God, that is, God will remember him no more and he will be cut off from God’s care, Psalm 88:5 / Job 19:25 / Psalm 6 / Psalm 16:10.
He feels that God has put him in the lowest pit and the darkest depths, Psalm 88:6, that is, he feels that it was God who brought all this upon him, Job 10:21-22. He feels it is because of God’s wrath that he’s suffering, he felt he has sinned in some way, Psalm 88:7.
We’re not to think that God gave him some kind of disease to make him suffer like he was. God has allowed him to suffer the difficulty of living in a world with a physical body that is subject to suffering. God is good, but He allows the natural processes of life to transpire.
We live in a fallen world, one from which God will eventually deliver the righteous. We must remember the thought of eternal life and eternal damnation wasn’t really taught in the Old Testament, the thoughts of going to heaven or hell and living forever only came into light when Christ came, 2 Timothy 1:10.
You may notice at the end of verse seven, some translations have the word, ‘selah’, although no one really knows what this word means, it’s likely it means to pause. It’s a time to stop and reflect upon what has just been said. We can almost imagine Heman pausing for a breath as he contemplates his future.
In the midst of Heman’s suffering, his friends appear to have abandoned him and once again he thinks that God was the cause of this, Psalm 88:8. He feels that God has made his friends see him as repulsive, Psalm 88:8 / Job 19:13-17 / Psalm 31:11 / Psalm 38:11 / Psalm 69:8.
His friends wanted to avoid being around him, Luke 23:49, as they saw him as someone unclean, Genesis 43:32. He feels trapped in his own home, Psalm 88:8 / Job 12:14, which suggests he was a leper, who was cut off from society, Leviticus 13:1-8 / Leviticus 13:45-46.
His eyes are dim from all the crying he has been doing, Psalm 88:9 / Job 16:20 / Psalm 6:6 / Isaiah 38:3. Once again Heman tells us that he constantly cried out to God in prayer for deliverance, every day, Psalm 88:9. Heman is desperate and desperate for answers. Notice all the questions which Heman asks God, Psalm 88:10-13, and the answer to all of these is question is, no.
Do you show your wonders to the dead? Psalm 88:10. No, Psalm 6:5 / Isaiah 38:18. Do their spirits rise up and praise you? Psalm 88:10. No, Isaiah 14:9. Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? Psalm 88:11. No, Luke 16:28-31. Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?’ Psalm 88:12. No, Job 10:21-22.
You may notice at the end of verse ten, that some translations have the word, ‘selah’, although no one really knows what this word means, it’s likely it means to pause. As mentioned earlier, it’s a time to stop and reflect upon what has just been said. We can almost imagine Heman pausing for a breath as he contemplates the answer to these questions.
After reflecting on how despaired he was for God to deliver him from his suffering, Heman once again focuses on the Lord to help him, Psalm 88:13 / Psalm 5:3 / Psalm 55:17 / Psalm 59:16.
Just before he gets out of bed, he begins every day with a prayer to God, Psalm 88:13, expecting that God will answer his prayer, Job 3:12 / Psalm 21:3 / Psalm 59:10 / Psalm 79:8 / Psalm 119:148 / Matthew 17:25 / 1 Thessalonians 4:15.
As it is with most people who are suffering terribly, Heman felt that God was rejecting him and had abandoned him Psalm 88:13. He’s been suffering since he was young and has been close to death on many occasions, Psalm 88:15.
He feels it was God who was causing his terrors, Psalm 88:15, that is, his suffering, and God was the reason for his despair, Psalm 88:15. He feels he is on the receiving end of God’s wrath and it was God who was destroying him, Psalm 88:16.
He feels overwhelmed by his suffering and thought he would drown in his sorrow, Psalm 88:17 / Psalm 42:7. He feels that it was God who was to blame for his friends and neighbours deserting him, Psalm 88:18, and so, he was left to suffer alone, Psalm 88:8. As a result, he felt that the only friend he had left was darkness, Psalm 88:18, that is, without help or hope for the future.
The illness that he suffered was from his youth and though he had no friends, he prayed that God does not turn from him. At this time in his life, he felt that all the agony that came with his illness hadn’t climaxed with his impending death.
Although we’re not told if God did help him and deliver him from his suffering, it’s clear, despite being angry with God and seeking answers to his questions, that his faith was totally reliant upon God.
Heman was suffering greatly because of his leprosy, and as a result, he became angry with God and wanted answers to his questions. As Christians, we too may go through times when we’re suffering when we get angry with God and ask Him, why?
Getting angry with God and asking Him deep and difficult questions is a real human response to suffering. But unlike Heman, we know that we can suffer with patience, Romans 12:12, we can suffer in the hope of the resurrection, Romans 6:5, and we can suffer in the hope of eternal life, Romans 8:24-25.
Like Heman, we must also pray to God when we’re suffering, and trust that He knows what’s best for us, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. More importantly, we must remember that our suffering is only temporary, Job 13:15, our suffering is nothing compared to eternal life, Romans 8:18.