Psalm 88
A desperate cry.
A DESPERATE CRY
A 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.
VERSE 1. LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
God of my salvation. The author saw the LORD God as the source of his salvation.
I have cried day and night. The author prayed constantly for deliverance.
This might be the saddest psalm of all.
VERSE 2. Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
VERSE 3. For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol.
My life draws near to. The author was near the end of life.
Sheol. The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 4. I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 5. set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 6. You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 7. Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.
Your wrath … waves. The author felt God’s wrath as if it were waves crashing down upon him.
Jonah 2:3. For you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me.
VERSE 8. You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
I am confined, and I can’t escape. Do you ever feel imprisoned by your circumstances?
VERSE 9. My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
VERSE 10. Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.
The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 11. Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
loving kindness … in the grave. The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
Destruction. That is, Abaddon. In those days, people thought of Abaddon as a place of destruction. It is a bottomless pit, often appearing alongside Sheol.
VERSE 12. Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
VERSE 13. But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
VERSE 14. LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
why do you reject my soul. The author has suffered constantly. He feels it is due to God’s wrath.
VERSE 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
VERSE 16. Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
Your terrors have cut me off. That is, “Your terrors have reduced me to silence.”
VERSE 17. They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
VERSE 18. You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
my friends into darkness. That is, “My only friend is darkness” (NAB translation).
This reminds us of the great spiritual masterpiece called The Dark Night by John of the Cross.
PSALMS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150
Deuterocanonical chapter: 151
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David’s Fasting
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.