Abstract
On the face of it, there are no bright spots in Psalm 88 � no hope at all for the bitterly lamenting psalmist, or seemingly for his readers today either. This intensely individual complaint expresses �the dark night of the soul � a state of intense spiritual anguish in which the struggling, despairing believer feels he is abandoned by God� (Boice 1996:715�716). So why has this disorienting �psalm of disorientation� (Brueggemann & Bellinger 2014:7) been included in the Psalter, the penultimate prayer of Book III, and what are we to make of it? One cannot of course provide definitive answers, but several suggestions may be offered based on the opinions of a number of capable Psalms scholars, coupled with some personal observations. After citing the text in Hebrew, along with my own English translation, the poetic structure of the psalm is overviewed and then selected features of its artistry and rhetoric are discussed. This study concludes with an assortment of reflections that speak to the theological importance of this dark psalm and its relevance for all those in particular who wake up in the morning, consider their current situation in life, and wonder: �Can it get any worse?�Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study illustrates how a close literary�structural analysis can serve to reveal insights of exegetical and theological significance while at the same time critiquing certain received scholarly positions. In particular, it challenges the prevailing opinion of commentators that Psalm 88 is entirely pessimistic in its outlook on God and life.Keywords: Psalms;literary-structural analysis; Hebrew poetry; OT theology
Highlights
Perhaps the best way to approach this unique psalm1 is to read it through first in order to get a general topical and emotional orientation
Could Psalm 88 be another instance of where scripture is required to interpret itself? a reassuring response to Heman the Ezrahite’s lament comes not within the psalm itself but from those prayers that surround it and similar familiar texts found in their common sacred canon
With respect to the more substantial, theological lesson of Psalm 88, we might ask along with Derek Kidner: ‘With darkness as its final word, what is the role of this psalm in Scripture’ (Kidner 1973:319), and in the lives of the faithful? Kidner goes on to make a number of perceptive responses (Kidner 1973:loc cit) that can assist us as we reflect upon the practical meaning of this psalm for us today: First, there is Psalm 88’s ‘witness to the possibility of unrelieved suffering as a believer’s earthly lot’
Summary
Perhaps the best way to approach this unique psalm is to read it through first in order to get a general topical and emotional orientation. 2.Psalm 88 begins with one of the longest titles, or superscriptions, in the Psalter – perhaps suggesting ‘the importance of this extraordinary psalm to the community’ (Goldingay 2007:645) This heading begins with terms similar to that of Psalm 87: ‘A song () ֥ ִׁשיר, a psalm of the sons of Korah’ () ִמזְ ֗מ ֹור ִל ְב ֫נֵי ֥ק ֹ ַרח, continues with the familiar ‘for the director of music’ () ַל ְמנַ ֣ ֵצּ ַח, an unfamiliar literary or musical expression, ‘according to mahalath leannoth’ () ַעל־ ָמ ֲח ַ֣לת ְל ַע ֑נּ ֹות, and a word of attribution, ‘a maskil ( )֝ ַמ ְׂש ֗ ִכּילof Heman the Ezrahite’ () ְל ֵהי ָ ֥מן ָה ֶאזְ ָר ִ ֽחי. 14.‘Spreading out the hands [here, lit. “palms”] toward God was a prayer gesture (see Ex 9:29, Ex 9:33; 1Ki 8:22, 1Ki 8:38; 2Ch 6:12-13, 2Ch 6:29; Ezr 9:15; Job 11:13; Is 1:15)’ (NET note)
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