The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 3 · Psalm 88
PSALM LXXXVIII.
A Song or Pſalm for the Sons of Korah, to the chief Muſician upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maſchil of Heman the Ezrahite.
ARGUMENT.
Who this Heman was is uncertain. Not he who was the famous Singer in David's time; for he was of the Tribe of Levi (1 Chron. VI. 32. XV. 17.) whereas this was deſcended from Zerah, who was one of the Sons of Judah, 1 Chron. II. 6. where we find indeed not onelyonly Heman, but Ethan (to whom the next Pſalm is aſcribed) mentioned as two of Zerah's Sons: But we cannot reaſonably think that they were, in thoſe early times, the Authours of theſe two Pſalms; becauſe Ethan plainly makes mention of David, and the promiſe which God had paſſed to him of a perpetual Kingdom.
It remains therefore that theſe two here mentioned, were of the poſterity of thoſe Sons of Zerah (and thence called Ezrahites) and had the Names of their noble Anceſtours given them, to perpetuate the memory of thoſe, who were ſo famous for wiſedom, 1 King. IV. 31.
But in what time they lived cannot be certainly determined. It is probable when Jechoniah, otherwiſe called Jehojachin (or after him Zedekiah) was taken, and carried captive to Babylon; together with abundance of the Nobility, and the principal Commanders and Artizans, 2 King. XXIV. 14, 15, 16. In ſome of which ranks I ſuppoſe this Heman was; who being caſt into a dark priſon (which hath made ſome fancy Jehojachin himſelf to have made it) Ver. 6, 8. or otherwiſe as miſerably treated as if he had been in a dungeon; bewails his private calamity: as Ethan in the next Pſalm doth the publick.
Why it is called a Song-Pſalm ſee upon the Title of Pſal. LXVII. It was to be ſung by the Sons of Korah interchangeably which is the meaning of Leannoth) upon a Flute or Pipe (ſee Pſal. LIII.) to the known tune of Maſchil: ſee Pſal. XXXII. Some paſſages in it may be applied to our Saviour's Death and Burial in his Grave, which the Prophet Iſaiah compares to a Priſon; and ſo is uſed by our Church upon Good Friday.
1. O LORD God of my ſalvation, I have cried day and night before thee.
1. O Mighty Lord, by whoſe gracious care and good providence, I have been hitherto preſerved, and on whom all my hopes of ſafety ſtill depend; I have not failed in this ſore affliction to implore thy mercy, with moſt earneſt cries, without any intermiſſion.
2. Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry.
2. Let them at laſt prevail I beſeech Thee; and do not reject my petition, accompanied with ſad moans and dolefull lamentations: but vouchſafe a favourable anſwer to it.
3. For my ſoul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
3. For my Soul is overcharged with great variety of long continued evils: which have brought me ſo low, that there is but a ſtep between me and the grave.
4. I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no ſtrength.
4. All that know my condition look upon me, as utterly loſt; and I have no reaſon to think otherwiſe: being quite ſpent, and having no power at all to help my ſelf.
5. Free among the dead, like the ſlain that lie in the grave, whom thou remembreſt no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
5. I am no longer one of this world, from whoſe ſociety I am quite ſeparated: there is little difference between me, and thoſe, who being ſlain in a Battel, and caſt all together into one common grave, are no further regarded; or thoſe whoſe families are ſo wholly exſtirpated, that there are none left to preſerve their memory.
6. Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt pit, in darkneſs, in the deeps.
6. For Thou haſt thruſt me down into a deep and diſmal Dungeon (which I can compare to nothing but a Grave;) wherein I lie neglected, and ſee no hope of being delivered.
7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou haſt afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
7. My ſpirit is ready to ſink under the weight of thy diſpleaſure: while my calamities fall upon me ſo faſt, and ſo heavily (like the mountainous waves of the Sea) one after another; that it is impoſſible to expreſs the ſoreneſs of my affliction.
8. Thou haſt put away mine acquaintance far from me: thou haſt made me an abomination unto them: I am ſhut up, and I cannot come forth.
8. I am not allowed to have any familiarity with my friends or acquaintance; no more then if I were in another world: And as for other men, they abominate to come into ſuch a loathſome place; where I am kept ſo cloſe, that I have no means of getting out.
9. Mine eye mourneth by reaſon of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee.
9. Nor can I doe any thing there but weep, till I am almoſt blind by reaſon of the miſeries I endure: onelyonly I ceaſe not to look up unto Thee, O Lord, continually, who art my onelyonly companion in this ſolitary and helpleſs condition; imploring thy aid with fervent prayers, and longing expectations; ſaying,
10. Wilt thou ſhew wonders to the dead? ſhall the dead ariſe and praiſe thee? Selah.
10. Make haſte, good Lord, to deliver me, if Thou intendeſt any kindneſs to me; otherwiſe I ſhall preſently periſh, and then, without the greateſt Miracle, there is no help for me: For can I with any reaſon expect, that Thou ſhouldeſt doe wonders for me among the dead, when Thou wouldeſt doe nothing for me, while I was alive? and raiſe me out of my grave, when Thou wouldeſt not bring me out of priſon?
11. Shall thy loving-kindneſs be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulneſs in deſtruction?
11. Now is the time to declare the love Thou beareſt to me; and to perform the promiſe Thou haſt made to them that faithfully ſerve Thee: For if Thou doſt defer thy relief, I die; and what can I hope for, when I am rotten in my grave?
12. Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteouſneſs in the land of forgetfulneſs?
12. Shall thy power be apparent there, where nothing is ſeen? And wilt Thou convince men how good and how juſt Thou art to thy ſervants, in the place where they are no more remembred?
13. But unto thee have I cried, O LORD, and in the morning ſhall my prayer prevent thee.
13. Thus, O Lord, I cry unto Thee in the anguiſh of my ſoul: which keeps me awake to preſent my prayers unto Thee, before the morning light.
14. LORD, why caſteſt thou off my ſoul? why hideſt thou thy face from me?
14. Though alas! they have no effect; but I ſee my ſelf deſerted, notwithſtanding all my prayers, in theſe miſerable ſtraits: wherein I lie ſighing to think what the reaſon ſhould be, that Thou denieſt me thy help, and takeſt no notice of me.
15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I ſuffer thy terrours, I am diſtracted.
15. Which is the more ſtrange, becauſe I faint away under my miſery, which hath continued many years, and under the ſad proſpect I have before me, of more dreadfull calamities: which ſo aſtoniſh me, that I know not what to doe with my ſelf.
16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy terrours have cut me off,
16. I onelyonly bemoan over again my forlorn eſtate, which grows ſtill more deplorable; I ſuffer not merely the effects of thy anger (Ver. 7.) but of thy ſevereſt and moſt terrible diſpleaſure: wherewith I am ſo overwhelmed and oppreſſed, that I am ſcarce able to fetch my breath.
17. They came round about me daily like water, they compaſſed me about together.
17. Which way ſoever I turn my ſelf, I find that I am inviron'd with them: and they increaſe continually, like flouds of water, coming from ſeveral places, and at laſt meeting all together, to incloſe and ſwallow me up.
18. Lover and friend haſt thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkneſs.
18. And there is no Friend, no Neighbour comes near me, to give me the leaſt conſolation: But all they whoſe ſweet ſociety was wont to help to mitigate my ſorrow, are either dead; or kept from my ſight; or hide themſelves for fear of being thruſt down together with me, into this dolefull place.