Psalms 89

The subtitle wasn’t part of the original psalm. “An enlightening psalm” is a guess. The original Hebrew word is maskil (mass-KEEL). Scholars say they aren’t sure what it means. They say they don’t even know if the word refers to the lyrics or the music. Maskil sounds a bit like another Hebrew word, askilkha, which means “let me enlighten you.” Some scholars associate maskil with a root word, sakal, which generates a lot of words with various meanings such as: thoughtful, instructive, wise, and proper. One theory is that the word relates to both lyrics and music. It could, for example, describe the lyrics as “thoughtful” and the music as a harmony fit for that theme.

A man named Ethan was a musician who played the cymbals during King David’s time (1 Chronicles 15:19). “Ezrahite” is apparently another name for the Zerahites, an extended family in the tribe of Judah.

It’s unknown what mahalath leannoth means. It could be the tune to which the song is sung or recited. It might be a style of music. It might be the name of the songwriter. Guesses are based mainly on context clues, which are few and not especially helpful.

The word in the original language of Hebrew is selah. Bible scholars haven’t figured out what it means yet, so all we can do is guess. It could mean “pause for effect,” “instrumental interlude,” or “choir singing ‘Amen.’” We’re offering a guess instead of selah. Though selah might be the better way to go because it’s always correct, it’s also always incomprehensible. “Instruments” has a good chance of being wrong, but at least we convey the idea that the Hebrew word behind it probably has something to do with enhancing the song.

In Hebrew, ben el, more literally translated “sons of god” or “sons of the mighty one.”

Rahab was a dragon-like sea monster that threatened human existence in ancient creation myths. Some Jews taught that God destroyed the monster.

Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon are two of the most distinctive mountains in Israel. Mount Tabor rises up by itself in the mostly otherwise flat and sprawling Jezreel Valley. Mount Hermon is the largest mountain in Israel, along the borders of Lebanon and Syria. Snow and rain from this mountain is the source of much of the Jordan River below it.

More literally, “I swore by my holiness.” The holiness of God is as unique and distinct as his name, which he revealed to Moses: I Am (Exodus 3:14). The holiness refers to his pure goodness and to his “otherness,” which describes his uniqueness among all life. He is unique and supreme, the only I Am. He’s at the tiptop top of the ladder, as Goodness on guard and Goodness at the end of our climb.

The first line isn’t in the text, but is implied. The writer seems to move suddenly into asking God why he allowed Babylonian invaders in 586 BC to destroy Jerusalem, end the reign of kings and wipe the Jewish nation off the world map by exiling the survivors.

Literally, Sheol, a word Old Testament writers used to describe the place of the dead. It is a kind of underworld where the dead are cut off from the living—and from God—and there is no coming back.