This psalm is altogether of a mournful and desponding character. The author is a sufferer; he is expecting to die; he fears to die; he longs to live; his mind is overwhelmed with gloom which does not seem to be irradiated by one ray of hope or consolation. 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, among others, Psalms 6:9-10; Psalms 7:17; Psalms 13:6; Psalms 42:8, Psalms 42:11; Psalms 56:11-13; Psalms 59:16; Psalms 69:34, Psalms 69:36. But in this psalm there is no relief; there is no comfort. 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. It is probable that this psalm was designed to illustrate what may occur when disease is such as to produce deep mental darkness and sorrow. And the Book of Psalms would have been incomplete for the use of the church, if there had not been at least one such psalm in the collection.
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. The phrase, “for the sons of Korah,” means here, probably, that it was composed for their use, and not by them, unless “Heman the Ezrahite” was one of their number. On the phrase, “To the chief Musician,” see the notes at the title to Psalms 4:1-8. The words, “upon Mahalath Leannoth,” are of very uncertain signification. 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; 1Ki 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28. It does not occur elsewhere, and would be properly rendered here, therefore, “disease, sickness, or infirmity.” The Hebrew which is rendered “Leannoth,” לענית le‛anoyth, is made up of a preposition (ל l) and a verb. The verb - ענה ‛ânâh - means:
(1) to chant or sing;
(2) to lift up the voice in any way - to begin to speak;
(3) to answer;
(4) to mean to say, to imply.
The verb also has another class of significations;
(a) to bestow labor upon,
(b) to suffer, to be afflicted, and might here refer to such affliction or trouble.
According to the former signification, which is probably the true one here, the allusion would be to something which was said or sung in respect to the sickness referred to; as, for example, a mournful melody composed for the occasion; and the purpose would be to express the feelings experienced in sickness. 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. It seems to me, therefore, that there is a reference in the word “Leannoth” to something which was said or sung on that occasion; or to something which might be properly said or sung in reference to sickness. 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. The word Maschil (see the notes at the title to Psalms 32:1-11) conveys the idea that it is a didactic or instructive psalm - suggesting appropriate thoughts for such a season. The psalm is ascribed to “Heman the Ezrahite.” The name Heman occurs in 1Ki 4:31; 1 Chronicles 2:6; 1Ch 6:33; 1 Chronicles 15:17, 1 Chronicles 15:19; 1Ch 16:42; 1 Chronicles 25:1, 1 Chronicles 25:4-6; 2Ch 5:12; 2 Chronicles 29:14; 2 Chronicles 35:15 - usually in connection with Ethan, as among those whom David placed over the music in the services of the sanctuary.
Nothing is known of the occasion on which the psalm was composed, except, as is probably indicated in the title, that it was in a time of sickness; and from the psalm itself we find that it was when the mind was enveloped in impenetrable darkness, with no comfort.
The psalm consists of two parts:
I. A description of the sick man’s suffering, Psalms 88:1-9. His soul was full of troubles, and he drew near to the grave, Psalms 88:3; he was, as it were, already dead, and like those laid in the deep grave, whom God had forgotten, Psalms 88:4-6; the wrath of God lay heavily on him, and all his waves went over him, Psalms 88:7; God had put away all his friends from him, and had left him to suffer alone, Psalms 88:8; his eye mourned by reason of his affliction, and he cried daily to God, Psalms 88:9.
II. His prayer for mercy and deliverance, Psalms 88:10-18. The reasons for the earnestness of the prayer, or the grounds of petition are,
(a) that the dead could not praise God, or see the wonders of his hand, Psalms 88:10-12;
(b) that the faithfulness and loving-kindness of God could not be shown in the grave, Psalms 88:11;
(c) that his troubles were deep and overwhelming, for God had cast off his soul, and had hid his face from him; he had been long afflicted; he was distracted with the terrors of God; the fierce wrath of God went over him; lover and friend and acquaintance had been put far from him, Psalms 88:13-18.