Psalms Reading – 3.23.2022
Psalm 88
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend.
In our journey through the Psalms, we have made it to the darkest one of all. Heman, one of three worship leaders for Israel, is the author. Can you imagine if he were a worship leader today, people would stay away from the Sundays he was scheduled! There is not much inspiration here!
The psalms of lament most often offer statements of praise or, at least, the intent to praise God when the answers come. Not this one. However, its presence in the Bible tells us we should not neglect it. It sends an important message that there are times when believers feel so depressed that they may not have anything good to say about God.
The psalmist offers just a few hints of possible positive feelings toward God. In verse 1, he declares “the God who saves me.” He keeps going to God in prayer even though he blames God for his current circumstances and lack of answers. He assumes that praise is to be the normal function of life, and he desperately wants to return there. However, his feelings are overwhelmingly negative. Twice he blames God for taking his closest friends from him. Darkness is his closest friend.
Even though none of us want to be in this place of agonizing despair, this psalm serves as an example that we should not falsely offer spiritual platitudes, but we should be real with God because He already knows our situation. In your lowest moments, God can handle your raw feelings so do not hold back or give up but keep coming back to Him pouring out your questions and requests.
Memory Verse: Psalm 86:15, But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Question(s) to Consider: Does this lament make you uncomfortable? Have you been there? Are you there now? What is your lament? Will you keep coming to God until He answers you?