Psalm 88

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. A lament psalm. The psalmist cries out day and night in deep distress and desires that God save him.

v.1-2 Call for God to hear the psalmist’s prayer. He has been praying but with no answer. v.2 is his petition, incline your ear to my cry!
v.3-9a A description of his distress.

3 For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.

v.9b-12 Save me because I can't serve you if I’m dead.
v.13-14 Petition for God to act.
v.15-18 The psalmist’s distress.

18 You have caused my beloved and my friend
to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.

Darkness is his only companion.

This psalm is very sad. Perhaps the saddest in the Psalter. Every believer will go through trials of his faith. The psalmist’s response is a model for our own—persistent prayer (v.1,9b,13).

Read Psalm 88