DAWN

     Explanation: In Psalm 88 the Psalmist, irresistibly drawn to God, cries out for deliverance in the midst of his unmitigated affliction. The painting above, depicting young lovers, is the opposite of the condition of the Psalmist who was cut off from lovers and friends.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: MASCHIL (INSTRUCTION) PSALMS. Psalm 32. Psalm 42. Psalm 44. Psalm 45. Psalm 52. Psalm 53. Psalm 54. Psalm 55. Psalm 74. Psalm 78. Psalm 87. Psalm 88. Psalm 89. Psalm 142. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Psalm 88 - #1. Psalm 88 - #2. Psalm 88 - #3. Psalm 88 - #4. Psalm 88 - #5. ]

     The Psalmist reminds God that he has cried day and night to him; and so he asks that his prayer would come before him. His soul was filled with troubles; and he was near death. Others also believed that he was near death. His strength was gone. He was like someone who had already been released into the realms of the dead, like those who lie in the grave, whom God remembers no more because they are cut off from him. He was in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. God's wrath laid hard upon him; and all of God's waves had gone over him (1-7). God put his companions far off from him and made him an abomination to them. He was shut up and unable to leave. He was in tears while he called out to God daily. He asked if God would show his wonders to the dead or if the dead would praise him (8-10). He asked if the grave and destruction would reveal God's lovingkindness and faithfulness. He asked if the darkness would reveal God's wonders, or if God's righteousness would be known in the land of forgetfulness. Nevertheless, the Psalmist persists in calling out to God; and he does so early in the morning (11-12). He asks God why God cast off his soul and why he hid his face from him. He was afflicted and ready to die from his youth till the present day. He is distracted (perplexed) by God's terrors. God's fierce wrath covered him; and his terrors cut him off. Daily, they surround him like water; they encompassed him (knocked him about). God put lover and friend far from him, and his familiar friends into darkness (13-18). By the Psalmist's persistent turning to God in the midst of the greatest difficulties, we are reminded of the words of Peter when Jesus asked him and the other disciples if they would abandon him like many had just done: Peter answered "Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life." It is exactly this kind of deep-seated conviction and commitment which keeps people coming back to the Lord in spite of horrific difficulties.

O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
² Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
³ For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
⁴ I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
⁵ Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
⁶ Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
⁷ Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

⁸ Thou 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.
⁹ Mine 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.

¹¹ Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
¹² Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
¹³ But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
¹⁴ LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
¹⁵ I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
¹⁶ Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
¹⁷ They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
¹⁸ Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]