EXPOSITION
THE most mournful of all the psalms. After one almost formal "word of trust" (Psalms 88:1), the remainder is a continuous bitter cry of complaint, rising at times into expostulation (Psalms 88:10-12), and almost into reproach (Psalms 88:14). The tone is that of the earlier complaints of Job; and Job has been supposed by some to be the writer. But this is highly improbable. We may accept the statement of the title, that the monody was written by Heman the Ezrahite, who was a contemporary of. Solomon (1 Kings 4:31). It has no appearance of being composed at a time of national affliction. All the complaints are personal, and indicate long continued personal suffering. The writer seems to be without hope. Still, he does not fall away from God, but continues to call upon him and pray to him (verses l, 2, 9, 13).
Metrically, the psalm is almost without divisions—"a slow, unbroken wail," expressive of "the monotony of woe."