“THE PSALMIST’S PLEA TO THE GOD OF HIS SALVATION” PSALM 88:1-18

The superscription of this psalm of lament reads – “A Song or Psalm for the Sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.”  The word “Mahalath” means sickness and the term “Leannoth” means to humble or afflict, and “Maschil” could mean instruction.  Heman, you will recall, is a musician.  This psalm is very doleful in nature; whereas, Psalm 87 was somewhat glorious in nature.  The psalm before us depicts the terror of the darkness of death – the really tough plight of the psalmist as he experiences extreme trouble.

This affliction of the psalmist brought him to an extreme point of death.  He states how he has cried out to the Lord in verse 1 – “O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.”  In extreme agony, the psalmist prays to the Lord to hear him; and as he prays, he rehearses the difficult plight to which he experiences (vv. 1-9).  In a description of his plight, the psalmist felt that God had afflicted him and forsaken him to the point of death as he reveals in verse 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.”

In verses 10-12, as he prays sincerely to the Lord, he reasons that a dead individual cannot praise the Lord from the grave –“Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee?  Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?” (vv.10-11).   As believers in Christ, we know that there is life beyond the grave; however, the psalmist is overwhelmed by his plight, for he is only speaking of the now.  As believers in Jesus Christ, our faith tells us that there is conscious existence after death (Luke 16:19-31).  Although death can cut us off from the living, the immaterial part of a child of God goes home to God, where ceaseless praise is taking place (II Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 5:11-14).

Continuing to pray (vv. 13-18), the psalmist declares the severity of his affliction, crying out to the Lord to aid him in his distress – “But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.  LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?” (vv.13-14).

As believers in this age of grace, we know that our faith tells us that God will aid and deliver us in our times of calamity; for in our times of distress, we need to just wait on the Lord, for Psalm 40:1-3 states, ”I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”   As we continue to trust in the Lord, He will replace our sad plight with a new song of praise!

May God Bless!