There is some question as to the authorship of Psalms 88 and 89. The superscription of Psalm 88 describes it as a song of the sons of Korah (the last of 11 Korahite psalms in the Psalter) as well as a maskil—an instructive psalm or "contemplation" (NKJV)—of Heman the Ezrahite. Psalm 89 is labeled as a maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. Many take these names to refer to David's Levitical choir leaders Heman and Ethan (the latter apparently also known as Jeduthun). Indeed, Heman the singer, grandson of Samuel and choir leader of the Levitical clan of Kohath, was a descendant of Korah (see 1 Chronicles 6:33-38). Yet note 1 Kings 4:31, which says that Solomon was wiser than "Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda." These men were evidently descendants not of Levi but of Judah's son Zerah: "The sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara" (1 Chronicles 2:6). The distinction Ethan the Ezrahite here appears to denote Ethan the Zarhite or Zerahite (recall that Hebrew was originally written with no vowels). How do we make sense of this?

Some think traditions have become confused and that the superscriptions of Psalms 88 and 89 are in error—that the designation "Ezrahite" was wrongly added to the Heman and Ethan in these psalm titles. But that is not necessarily so. First of all, it is entirely possible that the Heman and Ethan here are not David's Levitical music leaders at all but instead the illustrious descendants of Zerah. If so, it could be, in the case of Psalm 88, that the sons of Korah took the Zerahite Heman's written poem and set it to music—turning it into a song (making it "a psalm of the sons of Korah"). On the other hand, the Heman here could well be David's Levitical choir leader, a descendant of Korah. Note that Korah himself was the son of Izhar, one of Kohath's four sons (see 1 Chronicles 6:18, 1 Chronicles 6:37-38,). Perhaps the descendants of Izhar were referred to as the Kohathite sub-clan of the Izrahites or Ezrahites. However, such an explanation would not apply to David's music leader Ethan, who was a descendant of Levi's son Merari. Considering all this, perhaps the Heman of Psalm 88 was David's music leader, the Izrahite, while the Ethan of Psalm 89 was the famous Zerahite and not the Merarite choir leader (more on this in the comments on Psalm 89).

Besides attribution, the superscription of Psalm 88 also contains the phrase le-mahalath le-annoth. Recall that Psalm 53's superscription contains the phrase le-mahalath. As noted before in the Beyond Today Bible Commentary, this phrase has been variously interpreted as "On sickness," "On suffering," "To pipings" (on wind instruments) or "To dances" (or some sort of choreography). The second part here, le-annoth, is thought to mean "of humblings or "of afflictions." It is not clear whether both parts are to be understood independently or taken together as a combined phrase (such as "On suffering of afflictions"). Also, one or both parts together could indicate either the subject matter of the psalm or another tune to which the psalm is set.

Heman, whatever his specific identity, is in Psalm 88 enduring some grave, life-threatening trial. Verse 15 in fact says that he has experienced life-threatening affliction for years—since his youth. It is not clear whether he means that he has been enduring the same, continuing trial ever since then or that he has experienced numerous similar dire circumstances over the years. The latter seems more likely, though his recurring problems may stem from the same root causes having never abated.

In his despair, Heman voices a desperate complaint against God: "Why, O Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?" (verse 14). He cries out to God day and night (verses 1, 9, 13), pleading for Him to hear (verse 2). He feels death is inevitable and close. He is as good as dead already, "adrift among the dead" (verse 5), cut off from God, no longer remembered by Him (same verse).

Indeed, he perceives his circumstances as coming from God: "You have laid me in the lowest pit" (verse 6). "You have afflicted me with all Your waves" (verse 7)—that is, of wrath and terrors (compare verses 16-17). "You have caused my friends to abandon me; you have made me repulsive to them.... I am worn out from the burden of your punishments" (verses 8, 15, Today's English Version). Heman can't escape his misery: "I am shut up, and I cannot get out" (verse 8).

He has called on God every day and worshipped Him with outspread hands (verse 9). Is it to no avail? Is he to die like the wicked? Will God wait to intervene until after he is already dead? (compare verse 10a). Of course, God certainly can intervene for those who have already died through resurrecting them—and He will ultimately resurrect all His people in the future. But this thought was far from the psalmist. For how would letting him die at this time bring God glory in the present? If dead, without consciousness, Heman could not declare God's lovingkindness, faithfulness and righteousness to others (see verse 10b-12). In other words, he was no use to God dead. This recalls David's reasoning in Psalm 6:4-5 and Psalm 30:8-9.

The psalm ends gloomily with the situation unresolved: "You have made even my closest friends abandon me, and darkness is my only companion" (Psalm 88:18, TEV). Nevertheless, there is a glimmer of hope in this darkest of laments based on the way it opens, for Heman begins the psalm by addressing the Lord as "the God who saves me" (verse 1, NIV) or "God of my salvation" (NKJV). The Expositor's Bible Commentary says: "Though the psalm ends on a lament, faith triumphs, because in everything the psalmist has learned to look to 'the God who saves' (v. 1). The 'darkness' (v. 18; cf. v. 12) of grief is reminiscent of death; but as long as there is life, hope remains focused on the Lord. [One particular commentator] is right when he writes, 'Psalm 88 stands as a mark of realism of biblical faith. It has a pastoral use, because there are situations in which easy, cheap talk of resolution must be avoided'" (note on verses 15-18).

The Zondervan NIV Study Bible points out in its note on the closing cluster of Book III (Psalms 84-89): "The final two prayers (Psalms 88; 89) both end unrelieved by the usual expression of confidence that God will hear and act.... However, the editors of Book III have placed them under the near shadow of Psalms 87, the more distant shadow of Psalms 84 and the still more distant shadow of Psalms 82. From these psalms they should not be dissociated."