Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John CalvinPSALM 88This psalm contains very grievous lamentations, poured forth by its inspired penman whenunder very severe affliction, and almost at the point of despair. But he, at the same time, whilststruggling with sorrow, declares the invincible steadfastness of his faith; which he displayed incalling upon God to deliver him, even when he was in the, deep darkness of death. 505A Song or Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the chief musician upon Machalath, to makehumble. An instruction of Heman, the Ezrahite.Heman, whose name appears in the inscription, is probably the same person who is mentionedin sacred history, 1 Kings 4:31, where Solomon, when commended for his wisdom, is comparedwith Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda. 506 It is, therefore, not surprising that a man, so highlydistinguished by the spirit of wisdom, was the author of this psalm. Some translate - ,al-machalath, upon infirmity; 507 but it is probable, according to the ordinary use of the word, thatit denotes either some instrument of music, or the beginning of some song. 508 Of the other wordsI have already sufficiently spoken elsewhere. Moreover, it is of importance to bear in mind, thatin the person of one man there is presented to our view an example at once of rare affliction andof singular patience. God, in so sorely exercising Heman, whom he had adorned with such excellentgifts to be an example to others, did not do this for the sake of his servant only. His object was topresent common matter of instruction to all his people. Carrying out this object, Heman ascending,as it were, an elevated stage, testifies to the whole Church his infirmities as well as his faith andconstancy. It greatly concerns us to look upon such a distinguished servant of God, and one whowas so eminently adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit, thus overwhelmed with so heavy a505 “As well the singers as players, or dancers, shall be there; i e., the whole chorus of joy and praise. Dr Chandler renders it,‘They shall sing like those that lead up the dance;’ i e., with joy and exultation.” — Williams Symmachus and Aquila translatethe text:— ...Και ἁδοντες ὡς χωροι, πασαι πηγαι εν σοι:“And they shall sing as in leading up a dance; ‘All my fountains are inthee.’”506 There are various opinions as to the occasion of the composition of this psalm. Dr Kennicott conceives it to be the prayerof a person shut up in a separate house because of the leprosy, who seems to have been in the last stage of that distemper; thisdisease, under the Mosaic dispensation, having been supposed to come from the immediate stroke of God. Kimchi is of opinionthat it was written in the name of the Jewish people during the captivity, in the language of a poor slave under his chains. BishopPatrick supposes that Heman, the author of it, was during the same period cast into a dark prison, (see verses 5, 6,) or, that hewas otherwise as miserably treated, as if he had been in a dungeon; and that he here bewails his private calamity.507 The Heman mentioned in that text has been supposed by some to be the son of Zerah, one of Judah’s sons, by hisdaughter-in-law Tamar, spoken of in 1 Chronicles 2:6. If these two passages refer to the same persons, then as the grandchildrenof Judah are called in 1 Kings 4:31, the sons of Mahol, it would follow that Mahol was either another name of Zerah or the nameof his wife. If this Heman was the author of the psalm before us, and if Ethan, his brother, wrote the subsequent psalm, as theylived at least one hundred and seventy years before Moses, these poems are the oldest poetical compositions extant, and the mostancient part of divine revelation. This, however, is far from being certain. Heman, the grandson of Judah, may have been theauthor of the 78th psalm; but the 79th could not have been written by Ethan, his brother, as it speaks of transactions that tookplace long after his time, at least as late as the days of David, who is particularly mentioned in it. Calvin obviously considersthis Heman to have lived in the time of David or Solomon. There is a person of the same name who was constituted by Davidone of the chiefs of the sacred singers, 1 Chronicles 25:1. But he was a Levite, whereas the present Heman is called an Ezrahite,which is understood to denote a descendant from Zerah, the son of Judah. If, therefore, the chief musician in the time of Davidbe intended, some transcriber must have erroneously applied to him the term Ezrahite. But if the psalm, as is supposed by many,was written during the Babylonish captivity, it must have been written by a different person.508 Street renders the title, “An instructive psalm in sickness, through affliction, by Aiman, the Ezrahite.” He observes, “ ,sickness, is used, Exodus 23:25. The word , is the construct form of it.” He adds — “The title thus translated agrees with thematter contained in the psalm.”245