Who was Ethan the Ezrahite in the Psalms?

A wise man, 'the Ezrahite,' whose wisdom was exceeded by that of Solomon. 1 Kings 4:31; Ps. 89 title. Apparently the same as the son of Zerah, a descendant of Judah. 1 Chr. 2:6, 8.

Solomon's wisdom was a gift directly from God, excelling all the wisdom of men of the east and of Egypt, for there were men of outstanding wisdom in these places (v.30). Four men are mentioned whose wisdom must have been great, but all inferior to Solomon. Ethan the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 89, and Heman the Ezrahite wrote Psalm 88. There is great wisdom in both of these Psalms, Psalm 88 portraying the agonizing grief of one who feels the shame and sorrow of Israel's guilt before God and cries out for mercy. Psalm 89 however shows rather the wonder of the grace of God in lifting up and blessing Israel beyond their fondest dreams after years of wandering and guilt.

As to the other two men, Chalcol and Darda, we find no record of anything they did or wrote, though they were evidently well known in the time of Solomon, whose wisdom excelied all of these. The Book of Proverbs, inspired by God, is a wonderful witness to his wisdom, though he wrote many more than these, 3000 altogether (v.32). He also wrote 1005 songs, only one of which is recorded in scripture, - "The Song of Songs."

Solomon's wisdom was not confined along certain lines, for he spoke of trees, from the greatest to the lowest, of animals, birds, creeping things and fish (v.33). The fame of his wisdom spread throughout the world, so that from all nations people came with the one object of hearing the wisdom of Solomon (v.34). How much greater will be the attraction awakened in the nations when the Lord Jesus, the King of kings, takes His great power and reigns in His millennial kingdom! Jerusalem will be the center to which the nations will come to worship Him and learn the wonders of His unexcelled wisdom (Zech.14:16).

Solomon's dominion was but a weak type of Christ's, who will have "the uttermost parts of the earth" (Ps. 2:8) for His possession. The king of Israel had dominion "over all the region on this side of the river" "unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt" (vv. 24, 21). In sum, these were the limits the Lord had assigned to Israel in Joshua 1:4; but when it came to the wisdom of Solomon, these limits were exceeded by far: All people came to hear him; all the kings of the earth came to inquire of him (v. 34), and we see in type that which is said of Christ: "I will … give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."

"Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol" (vv. 30-31). We have no other mention of the two latter except in 1 Chronicles 2:6, but we have an indication of the wisdom of Ethan and of Heman in the Word. Heman the Ezrahite is the inspired author of Psalm 88; Ethan the Ezrahite, that of Psalm 89. Now, what kind of wisdom is found in these two psalms? Psalm 88 has a very special character which is found to the same degree in no other psalm. It shows us Israel, convicted of having broken the law, and under the consequences of this disobedience. Nothing could be worse! Death, the grave, being cut off, and darkness are Israel's lot. Moreover, the wrath of God weighs upon her and she is afflicted with all His waves. She is abandoned by men and is shut up. She cries, she cries in vain (vv. 1, 9, 13). She is rejected; God hides His face from her. The intense heat of the Lord's wrath has passed over her; she is overwhelmed by His terror. God has removed from her all who might have sympathized with her. And the conclusion of all this? None! Not a ray of hope! A soul who cries out, and God who does not answer!

The psalm is another Maskil, and no wonder; and it is the maskil of another Ezrahite, Ethan; whose name means, in full accordance with his subject, "constant, durable." And here too we find what is "proper to the soil" it springs from, the covenant of promise rooting itself in what God is; "durable," because Jehovah endures, the same yesterday, today, and for ever."

One by Heman the Ezrahite Psalm 88 and one by Ethan the Ezrahite Psalm 89; one by Moses, Psalm 90.

Psalm 89 has been selected to show that the promise referred to in 2 Samuel 7 was embodied in the worship of Israel in song. Ethan, the Ezrahite, wrote the Psalm. He was contemporary with Solomon, but not as wise as he (1 Kings 4:31). Parts of the Psalm refer to God's covenant with David: to his throne, his seed, and the fact that his seed and throne shall endure for ever (verses 4, 29, 36).

A Maschil of Ethan, a Merarite (1 Chron. 6:44; 15:17). The greater part of this Psalm extols Jehovah's lovingkindness and faithfulness and makes prominent the covenant with David. We must of course look beyond David and behold Him, the Son of David in whom this covenant will be ratified. Viewed prophetically this Psalm becomes intensely interesting. Verses 4-37 tell us of all the blessings which will be on earth when our Lord, the Son of David, is King. He is the Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth (verse 27). All His enemies will be beaten down, they are scattered (verses 10, 22). Justice and judgment will be the foundations of His throne, mercy and truth will go before His face (verse 14). His people will be blessed and walk in the light of His countenance; He will be the glory of their strength, their defense and their King (15-18). His seed (including the heavenly people, the Church, and the earthly people) shall endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven (29, 36). The past ruin of the house of David and the people Israel, the result of unbelief and disobedience, covered with shame instead of glory, is described in verses 38-45 and the prayer follows that the Lord may remember what He has sworn to David.

In Psalm 89 the wisdom of Ethan instructs us. What does this other wise man speak of? Of grace! This Psalm is about the unchangeable promises of God and the sure mercies of David. The people's relationship to God on the footing of the law can only lead to the darkness of judgment and death; their relation on the basis of the covenant of grace made with David leads to this: "Mercy shall be built up forever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens" (v. 2) — in the heavens, where nothing shall ever touch it. This magnificent Psalm is the hymn of grace and of all the glory of God which this grace has established and brought to light.

A few words now on Psalm 89 in detail. Its subject is the mercies of Jehovah (His graciousness, chasdee, towards Israel), and their unchangeableness — the sure mercies. There was faith to say, "for ever," for it was grace. This gave the appeal, elsewhere noticed. How long should it be otherwise, and even apparently for ever? Jehovah was faithful. For he had said in faith, Mercy, manifested goodness, shall be built up for ever, and faithfulness was established where nothing could reach it. And so it will be, Satan being cast down. It is the very description of the millennium. He then recites the covenant originally made with David, which is the expression of mercy, and that to which Jehovah was to be faithful, the sure mercies of David. He turns then, and continues his praises of Jehovah (v. 5-18), recalling the ancient deliverance from Egypt, and looking to the praise necessarily flowing from what He was, and the blessedness of the people that know the joyful sound. In His name they would rejoice all the day, in His (for we are in grace here) righteousness be exalted. He was the glory of their strength; and in His favour their horn will be exalted.

Two Psalms then follow. The one (88) depicts the sorrowful state of an individual. The other (89) contains the cry for the restoration of the throne in fulfilment of God's promise to David. In the former, that to which the name of Heman is prefixed, the saint tells out to God his sorrow. In the latter, to which the name of Ethan is prefixed, the Psalm celebrates the mercies of the Lord — an abiding subject of song. The political condition in both Psalms is the same. The King has not appeared. The throne is still cast down. But in the one case the saint is occupied with all that he is feeling; in the other he is occupied with that which God has done, and looking for that which He will do. States of mind, these are very different. But may we not understand them? If our circumstances are before us, how dark things may appear! If God's revealed thoughts occupy us, in what a different light will all be viewed!