Psalm 88
A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah,
to the chief Musician to “Visit the Sick,”
poem of Heman the Ezrahite.
O LORD God of my salvation,
I have cried day and night before you:
Let my prayer come before you:
incline thine ear unto my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles:
and my life draws nigh unto the grave.
4
I am counted with them that go down into the pit:
I am as a man that has no strength:
Free among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more:
and they are cut off from your hand.
You have laid me in the lowest pit,
in darkness, in the deeps.
7
Your wrath lies hard upon me,
and you have afflicted me with all your waves.
You have put away my acquaintance far from me;
you have made me an abomination unto them:
I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction:
9
LORD, I have called daily upon you,
I have stretched out my hands unto you.
Will you show wonders to the dead?
shall the dead arise and praise you?
Shall your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
or your faithfulness in destruction?
Shall your wonders be known in the dark?
and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13
But unto you have I cried, O LORD;
and in the morning shall my prayer come before
you.
LORD, why cast you off my soul?
why hide you your face from me?
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up:
while I suffer your terrors I am distracted.
Your fierce wrath goes over me;
your terrors have cut me off.
They came round about me daily like water;
they compassed me about together.
Lover and friend have you put far from me,
and mine acquaintance into darkness.
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The poor fellow who wrote this psalm had been in great anguish of soul for a long time. And he suffered, not only from isolation from God, but from everyone else. He was alone in his suffering. Not only that, but he had been this way from his youth. And yet, he has not lost his faith in God. He just wonders how long it will have to be this way. And he pleads his case for life.
The superscription of this psalm suggests either a tune or an exhortation to care for, visit, and understand the feelings of those who are ill. So many ill people put on a good face, and you have no idea of the depths of despair that creeps up on them in the night. This psalm gives you a look behind the facade so many brave souls erect. It is also something of a plea to come visit. Try reading it again with that in mind, and remember the isolation and loneliness of those who approach the end of their lives.