Summary

Psalm 88 makes no mention of the nature of Heman’s illness. Heman is more concerned with God’s plan for him. He sees God’s hand in what is happening to him.

Heman speaks of God’s wrath. It is mentioned several times in this psalm. In Psalm 88:14 Heman asks why God casts him off, in Psalm 88:15 the psalmist speaks of the terrors of God, and in Psalm 88:16 the wrath is mentioned yet again. Was there a specific sin in Heman’s life for which he was being punished? Nothing specific is mentioned, and he does not speak of atonement. It is probably best to think generally: we live this life with mortal bodies (Romans 8:11), with a body of death (Romans 7:24). Even a faithful believer, when faced with death, becomes very aware of his weakness, sins, and failures. Our sin against God’s grace stands out most glaringly. The dying person recognizes that God has a right to be angry with him.

The author is very straightforward here. It is God’s wrath, the anger of the Lord, which threatens to overwhelm him. He experiences what is described in Psalm 42:7, Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. This is unbearable. Here he will go down. No one can stand God’s wrath.

And yet, Someone was able to bear God’s wrath. We think of Jesus here. But that cost him a whole lot. He was afraid in Gethsemane and said to his disciples My soul is very sorrowful, even to death (Mark 14:34). That is how heavy God’s wrath pressed upon him. And yet, he could endure it. He went through until he hung on the cross at Golgotha. The Father’s waves of anger because of his wrath over our sins came over the Son. But he carried it. Heman did not fully realize it yet, but we may know it. So we should not forget this when we go through the dark depths.