Psalms 88
Psalm 88 is a psalm of the descendants of Korah, a lament of the psalmist crying out amid extreme suffering and darkness. Overall, the psalm’s desperate atmosphere continues all the way through, and unlike other psalms, it does not end with any clear hope or assurance of deliverance. The psalmist brings his anguish to God three times (verses 1–2, 9–12, and 13–18), expressing very openly the deep darkness of suffering and loneliness, and the feeling that God has distanced himself from him.
1verseA Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite. LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
2verseLet my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
3verseFor my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol.
4verseI am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
5verseset apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
6verseYou have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7verseYour wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.
8verseYou have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
9verseMy eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
10verseDo you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.
11verseIs your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12verseAre your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13verseBut to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14verseLORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
15verseI am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16verseYour fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17verseThey came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18verseYou have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
Key Themes in Psalm 88
- Verses 1–2: The psalmist begins his prayer by crying out to the God of salvation day and night.
- Verses 3–7: He pleads that his soul is filled with trouble and is on the brink of death.
- Verses 8–9: He experiences loneliness and separation as he is cut off from friends and neighbors.
- Verses 10–12: He urgently asks God to respond, questioning whether God could be praised among the dead.
- Verses 13–18: Even as he prays to God again, he ends by confessing that the psalmist’s darkness in life remains.
Meditation Points
- Let’s think about the psalmist’s honesty and boldness in crying out to God even during times of darkness.
- Discover the possibility of hope that you can come to God without giving up, even amid suffering and loneliness.
- Reflect on the sincere confession of faith that shows itself within the depths of despair, in light of my own situation.
Applying It to Myself
- When there is suffering or loneliness in my life that I can’t explain, I tell God honestly without hiding my feelings.
- Even if it seems like God’s answer is delayed, I will keep holding on to God.
- Just like the psalmist who does not give up the relationship with God in any circumstance, I will continue having honest and truthful conversations on my faith journey as well.
