Psalms 88

King James Version (KJV) · English

1 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.

Commentary — not Bible text

Psalms 88:1-2

PSALM 88

Psa 88:1-18. Upon Mahalath--either an instrument, as a lute, to be used as an accompaniment (Leannoth, "for singing") or, as others think, an enigmatic title (see on Psa 5:1, Psa 22:1, and Psa 45:1, titles), denoting the subject--that is, "sickness or disease, for humbling," the idea of spiritual maladies being often represented by disease (compare Psa 6:5, 6; 22:14, 15, &c.). On the other terms, see on Psa 42:1 and Psa 32:1. Heman and Ethan (see on Psa 89:1, title) were David's singers (1Ch 6:18, 33; 15:17), of the family of Kohath. If the persons alluded to (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6), they were probably adopted into the tribe of Judah. Though called a song, which usually implies joy (Psa 83:1), both the style and matter of the Psalm are very despondent; yet the appeals to God evince faith, and we may suppose that the word "song" might be extended to such compositions.

1-2. Compare on the terms used, Psa 22:2; 31:2.

Psalms 88:3

3. grave--literally, "hell" (Psa 16:10), death in wide sense.

Psalms 88:4

4. go ... pit--of destruction (Psa 28:1).

as a man--literally, "a stout man," whose strength is utterly gone.

Psalms 88:5

5. Free ... dead--Cut off from God's care, as are the slain, who, falling under His wrath, are left, no longer sustained by His hand.

Psalms 88:6

6. Similar figures for distress in Psa 63:9; 69:3.

Psalms 88:8

8. Both cut off from sympathy and made hateful to friends (Psa 31:11).

Psalms 88:9

9. Mine eye mourneth--literally, "decays," or fails, denoting exhaustion (Psa 6:7; 31:9).

I ... called--(Psa 86:5, 7).

stretched out--for help (Psa 44:20).

Psalms 88:10

10. shall the dead--the remains of ghosts.

arise--literally, "rise up," that is, as dead persons.

Psalms 88:11-12

11-12. amplify the foregoing, the whole purport (as Psa 6:5) being to contrast death and life as seasons for praising God.

Psalms 88:13

13. prevent--meet--that is, he will diligently come before God for help (Psa 18:41).

Psalms 88:15

15. from ... youth up--all my life.

Psalms 88:16-17

16-17. the extremes of anguish and despair are depicted.

Psalms 88:18

18. into darkness--Better omit "into"--"mine acquaintances (are) darkness," the gloom of death, &c. (Job 17:13, 14).

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