Psalm 88

Psalm 88

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

                        Note: A Pslam that depicts a painful realization. “Good” people often suffer the most; often suffering till they reach rock bottom, or till they wish to die. Sadly, this is drastically unlike most Disney movies. This is a Psalm I think everyone should read when they simply cannot see a single ray of hope. I spill many tears when reading this Psalm.

1 O Lord, God of my salvation,

    I cry out day and night before you.

2 Let my prayer come before you;

    incline your ear to my cry!

                        Note 1-2: Starting off with acknowledging that Only God can help him out of this sadness.

3 For my soul is full of troubles,

    and my life draws near to Sheol.

4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;

    I am a man who has no strength,

5 like one forsaken among the dead,

    like the slain that lie in the grave,

    like those whom you remember no more,

    for they are cut off from your hand.

6 You have put me in the depths of the pit,

    in the regions dark and deep.

7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,

    and you overwhelm me with all your waves.

8 You have caused my companions to shun me;

    you have made me a horror to them.

    I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

                        Note 3-8: When you are angry at someone, especially when you feel they have abandoned you, you typically do not complain about them to their face; you complain about them to a friend or close companion. This is unique, even in his deepest despair, he choses to complain “about” God, to “God”. This is an exercise (or routine) that very very few people can do - bringing everything to God when it feels useless to bring anything to God.

9 my eye grows dim through sorrow.

    Every day I call upon you, O Lord;

    I spread out my hands to you.

10 Do you work wonders for the dead?

    Do the departed rise up to praise you?

11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,

    or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,

    or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

                        Note 9-12: The only way I can be useful to you, is if I am alive, not dead. The dead will not praise you, only the alive do. So keep me alive.

13 But I, O Lord, cry to you;

    in the morning my prayer comes before you.

14 O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?

    Why do you hide your face from me?

15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,

    I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.

                        Note 14-15: My current suffering reminds me of all the suffering I have endured when I was younger - always struggling, always hoping for a better future.

16 Your wrath has swept over me;

    your dreadful assaults destroy me.

17 They surround me like a flood all day long;

    they close in on me together.

18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;

    my companions have become darkness.

                        Note 16-18: But this time it is different, this time I cannot make it through, you finally put me through something that I know I cannot withstand. This time … I am tempted to seek darkness. This time - if you don’t help me, you will lose me.