Psalm 88
Prayer for Help in Despondency
A Song. A Psalm of the Korahites. To the leader: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 O Lord, God of my salvation,
when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
2 let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry.
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 like those who have no help,
5 like those 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.Selah
8 You have caused my companions to shun me;
you have made me a thing of horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9 my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call on you, O Lord;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
Do the shades rise up to praise you?Selah
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, cry out to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why do you cast me off?
Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Wretched and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.[a]
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your dread assaults destroy me.
17 They surround me like a flood all day long;
from all sides they close in on me.
18 You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me;
my companions are in darkness.
Reflection:
This is a raw psalm. In the words we can almost feel the desperation in the writer’s soul. While we hope we may not ever experience emotions or situations like those reflected in this psalm, the fragility of life in general guarantees we will know great heartache and at times despair. There are times, when as people of faith, we turn to God asking for deliverance, asking for attention, asking for an end. We question why and ask God to stop whatever it is that is happening. We may wonder why in our commitment to God do we still go through heartache and suffering. The emotions and questions we express during those times put us in the company of saints who have gone before us. We are not alone as we question God, as our faith shakes, or as we cry out. This psalm allows us to rest in those emotions without a pretty tied up bow at the end. Perhaps that fact makes Psalm 88 that much more powerful – acknowledging the possibility the psalmist had not yet found the peace he or she was looking for. The prayer had not yet been answered as the poem was written. And yet – here it is, a sacred scripture. A sacred prayer and one we have permission to pray.
Prayer
We are grateful, Holy God, for your willingness to hear us as we pray. We are grateful you receive who we are in our highs and lows. Shore up our faith today, o strengthening God. Help us to face the difficulties of daily life and the extra challenges which come our way. Help us to remember you want our whole hearts which means, at times, there will be anger and grief. We pray today for those who are facing these circumstances. Enable us to encourage them, to be present with them, to be as steady as you are as we support and nurture one another. Bless your church this day as we minister where you have placed us. Thank you, loving God, for guiding us all of our days. Amen.