A prayer, containing a grievous complaint.
A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah: to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.
Title. האזרחי להימן משׂכיל לענות מחלת על למנצח קרה למני מזמור שׂיר Shiir mizmor libnei korach lamnatseach al machalath leannoth maskiil leheiman haezrachii] The author of this psalm is called Heman the Ezrahite; but who he was, or when he lived, is not known. See 1 Chronicles 2:6. Bishop Patrick supposes him to have lived in the time of the captivity, being confined in prison; and that there, in the bitterness of his soul, he composed this melancholy lamentation. לענות מחלת machalath leannoth may be rendered by the hollow instruments for answering. Houbigant translates it, for the choirs, that they may answer. See the title of the 53rd psalm. Mudge renders לענות leannoth, to create dejection; to raise a pensive gloom or melancholy in the mind; agreeably to the tenor of the psalm. Fenwick applies the title of this psalm to our Saviour. See his Thoughts, p. 67.
Psalms 88:1. I have cried— In the day-time I cry unto thee; in the night I call aloud before thee.