Psalm 88

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:13

But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; literally, but as for me, to thee have I cried. The psalmist returns from the somewhat vague speculations of Psalms 88:10-12 to fact and to himself. He is not yet a mere shade, an inhabitant of Sheol; he is in the flesh, upon the earth; he can still cry, and does still cry, to Jehovah. There is thus still a faint gleam of hope for him. And in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. The psalmist will draw out God's mercy, as it were, before its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:13

Prayer getting in front of God. "In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee." The idea is a singular one, based upon the older meaning of the word "prevent." Thinking of God under the figure of an earthly King, he conceives of himself as a petitioner who is so intense in his desire that he reaches the palace gate before the King is up. His prayer is there before the King is. To "prevent" now means to "hinder." In older days it simply meant to "go before," to "anticipate." The word is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:14

Lord, why cutest thou off my soul? The psalmist speaks here, like Job, as one aggrieved. What has he done to be "cast off"? He is evidently not aware of having sinned any grievous sin, and does not understand why he is visited with such grievous sufferings. Why hidest thou thy face from me? Perhaps it is his insensibility, his unconsciousness of real sins and shortcomings, that has drawn down upon the psalmist his chastisement. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:14

God's hidden face. "Why hidest thou thy face from me?" The shinings, or the hidings, of the face are frequently referred to in the Psalms. Masters and kings in the East show their dignity by speaking as little as possible. They convey their wishes, and express their feelings, by their looks, or by simple movements of their hands. So their servants and their courtiers anxiously watch their faces, to see in them signs of approval, acceptance, and favour. If the king does not look at them,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:15

I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up . This is a new point. The psalmist's afflictions have not come upon him recently. He does not merely mean, as some have supposed, that, like other men, as soon as he was born he began to die, but speaks of something, if not absolutely peculiar to himself, yet at any rate rare and abnormal—a long continuance in a dying state, such as could only have been brought about by some terribly severe malady. While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:16

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me. "Overwhelms me;" i.e. "like a fiery flood" (see above, Psalms 88:7 ). Thy terrors have cut me off. A different word is used for "terrors" from that which occurs in Psalms 88:15 , and one elsewhere occurring only in Job 6:4 . The verb also is one characteristic of Job ( Job 6:17 ; Job 23:17 ), and means "extinguish," or "exterminate." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:17

They came round about me daily like water. God's terrors encompass the psalmist "daily," or "all day long," like water; i.e. like an overwhelming flood (compare the first clause of Psalms 88:16 ). They compassed me about together; or, "they compass me about in a mass ." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:18

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me (comp. Psalms 88:8 and Job 19:13 ). And mine acquaintance into darkness ; literally, and my intimates [ are ] darkness ; i.e. "when I look for a friend or an acquaintance, my eye meets nothing but darkness," or "dark space." read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 88

This psalm is altogether of a mournful and desponding character. The author is a sufferer; he is expecting to die; he fears to die; he longs to live; his mind is overwhelmed with gloom which does not seem to be irradiated by one ray of hope or consolation. It is, in this respect, unlike most of the psalms which relate to sickness, to sorrow, to suffering, for in those psalms generally there springs up, in answer to prayer, a gleam of hope - some cheerful view - some sustaining prospect; so... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 88:1

O Lord God of my salvation - On whom I depend for salvation; who alone canst save me. Luther renders this, “O God, my Saviour.”I have cried day and night before thee - literally, “By day I cried; by night before thee;” that is, my prayer is constantly before thee. The meaning is, that there was no intermission to his prayers; he prayed all the while. This does not refer to the general habit of his life, but to the time of his sickness. He had prayed most earnestly and constantly that he might... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:18

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 88

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 88:1

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