Bible Chapter Summary
Psalm 88 Summary
Deep Despair and Separation from God
The psalmist cries day and night to God, his soul full of troubles, his life drawing near the grave. He counts himself among the dead and slain whom God no longer remembers, laid in the lowest pit in darkness with God's wrath bearing hard upon him. He is cut off from acquaintance and made an abomination to others, shut up and unable to come forth. His eye mourns from affliction as he stretches out his hands daily to God, questioning whether God shows wonders to the dead or if His lovingkindness is declared in the grave. The psalmist suffers God's fierce wrath and terrors, with lover and friend put far from him into darkness.
Key themes
Key verses
Psalms 88:1-3
“O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.”
Psalms 88:6-8
“Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. 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.”
Psalms 88:14-15
“LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.”
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