Psalm 88 Study Notes

Ps 88 title On sons of Korah, see note at Ps 42 title. Heman the Ezrahite, a famous wise man during Solomon’s reign, served as the king’s seer. According to Mahalath Leannoth may designate this as a psalm of penitence associated with purification from illness (see note at Ps 53 title).

88:1-2 His prayer day and night indicates his need is severe.

88:3 I have had enough troubles means literally “my soul is sated with turmoil.” The psalmist described his condition as grave, as his life drew near Sheol (see note at 86:13; cp. Jb 7:11-21; 13:18-28; 30:20-23).

88:4 The Pit is another name for Sheol. The psalmist compared himself to a weakened man, about to die.

88:5 The psalmist passed from memory since the dead were cut off from interaction with God and others (Is 53:8).

88:6 The lowest part of the Pit (see 86:13) is often portrayed as the roots of the mountains in the deep sea (Jnh 2:6; Mc 7:19).

88:7 God’s character gave the psalmist confidence.

88:8 The Hebrew word for repulsive (to‘evah) often describes unethical practices such as child sacrifice or idolatry (“detestable” in Dt 12:31; 27:15). Those who committed such heinous acts were ceremonially unclean and were ostracized from the community.

88:9 The hands being spread out implies submission and helplessness.

88:10-12 A series of four rhetorical questions expect negative answers, typical of disputation speeches. The psalmist asked if God performed miracles on behalf of the dead in order to receive praise in the grave. On the contrary, God blesses the living to receive glory on earth and in heaven. Departed spirits could be translated as “shades,” a figurative expression for “spirits of the dead” (Jb 26:5; Is 14:9; 26:14,19). Abaddon, a place of destruction, is synonymous with Sheol or the Pit (Jb 26:6; 28:22; Pr 15:11).

88:13-14 Prayers were often answered in the morning (5:3; 90:14; 143:8), so the psalmist, feeling his prayer had been ignored, accused God of rejecting him as one who was unclean.

88:15 The psalmist’s distress has lasted his whole life.

88:16-18 Terrors acted as the Lord’s agents of destruction (Jb 6:4) against the psalmist. Typically, God exercised his “terror” against enemies (Dt 32:25; Jb 13:21).