Psalms 88

King James Version

Full text for Psalms Chapter 88

1¶ A Song [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day [and] night before thee:

2Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

3For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

4I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength:

5Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.

6Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

7Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. Selah.

8Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: [I am] shut up, and I cannot come forth.

9Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

10¶ Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? Selah.

11Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?

12Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

14LORD, why castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?

15I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

16Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

17They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.

18Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, [and] mine acquaintance into darkness.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Psalm 88 is a profound lament, where the psalmist, Heman the Ezrahite, cries out to the LORD God of his salvation from deep affliction. He describes his soul as full of troubles, drawing nigh unto the grave, and feeling like one counted among the dead. The psalmist expresses a sense of being overwhelmed by God's wrath and abandoned by all his acquaintances, concluding without a typical turn to hope.

Medium Summary

This psalm, attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, begins with an earnest cry to God, acknowledging a life filled with troubles and a proximity to death. The psalmist feels like a man without strength, free among the dead, and cut off from God's hand, having been laid in the lowest pit of darkness. He perceives God's wrath as lying hard upon him, afflicting him with waves of sorrow, and causing his acquaintances to shun him. The psalmist questions if God's wonders, lovingkindness, and faithfulness can be declared or known among the dead, yet he continues to cry out daily. He laments God's hidden face and fierce wrath, which have afflicted him from his youth and cut him off, leaving him utterly isolated.

Long Summary

Psalm 88, a Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite for the sons of Korah, commences with an urgent plea to the LORD God of salvation, as the psalmist has cried day and night. He implores God to incline His ear, for his soul is full of troubles and his life approaches the grave. The psalmist feels counted among those descending into the pit, like a man devoid of strength, free among the dead, and forgotten by God. He attributes his dire state to God, who has laid him in the lowest pit, in darkness, and in the deeps, with divine wrath lying hard upon him and all God's waves afflicting him. Furthermore, God has alienated his acquaintances, making him an abomination and leaving him shut up and unable to come forth. His eye mourns from affliction, yet he persistently calls upon the LORD, stretching out his hands daily. The psalmist then poses rhetorical questions, asking if God will show wonders to the dead, if the dead will arise to praise Him, or if His lovingkindness and faithfulness can be declared in the grave or destruction. He questions if God's wonders and righteousness can be known in darkness or the land of forgetfulness. Despite these profound doubts, he reiterates his continuous crying to the LORD, with his prayer preventing God in the morning. He directly asks why God casts off his soul and hides His face, stating that he has been afflicted and near death from his youth, distracted by God's terrors. The psalmist concludes by describing God's fierce wrath and terrors as constantly overwhelming him like water, encompassing him, and having put lover, friend, and acquaintance far from him into darkness, leaving him in a state of unmitigated despair.

Core Concepts

  • Profound DespairThe psalmist expresses an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and suffering, describing his soul as full of troubles and his life drawing nigh unto the grave. This psalm is unique for its lack of a hopeful resolution.
  • Imminent Death and the GraveHeman repeatedly states his proximity to death, feeling counted among those who go down to the pit and comparing himself to the slain in the grave. He questions if God's power and praise can extend to the realm of the dead.
  • Divine Affliction and WrathThe psalmist attributes his suffering directly to God, stating, 'Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit' and 'Thy wrath lieth hard upon me.' He perceives God's terrors and fierce wrath as having cut him off and encompassed him daily.
  • Extreme IsolationA significant aspect of Heman's suffering is his complete abandonment by others, as God has 'put away mine acquaintance far from me' and made him 'an abomination unto them.' He feels shut up and unable to come forth, with lover and friend put into darkness.
  • Persistent Lament and QuestioningDespite his deep despair and feeling that God has hidden His face, the psalmist continues to cry out to the LORD day and night. He repeatedly questions God's actions and silence, asking 'why castest thou off my soul?'