O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
Psalm 88 is one of the darkest psalms in the Psalter. It does not move quickly from sorrow into visible comfort, nor does it end with an open burst of praise. It is the prayer of a soul overwhelmed with affliction, near unto death, shut up, mournful, and seemingly forsaken (vv.3-9). Yet the first verse shows that faith still lives in the darkness. The psalmist is deeply troubled, but he still prays. He feels cast off, but he still calls upon Jehovah. He is full of sorrow, but he still names God as the God of his salvation.
“O LORD.” The prayer begins with Jehovah. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah. The psalmist does not begin with his trouble, though his trouble is great. He begins with God. This is faith under pressure. Affliction may darken the soul, weaken the body, and confuse the thoughts, but the godly man still turns toward Jehovah. He may not feel comfort, but he knows where help must be sought. Jonah prayed from the belly of hell, yet he cried unto the LORD (Jonah 2:2). David said, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God” (Psalm 18:6). So here, the afflicted saint cries first unto Jehovah.
“God.” The psalmist joins the divine name Jehovah with the title God, confessing the One he addresses to be supreme in power, majesty, authority, and dominion. His troubles are not brought before an idol, a priest, a friend, or a vain helper. He cries unto God Himself. This matters greatly in Psalm 88, because the psalmist’s outward condition appears hopeless. When men are brought low, they must know whether they cry into emptiness or unto the living God. The psalmist knows. Though his soul is full of troubles (v.3), God still lives, hears, rules, and saves.
“Of my salvation.” This phrase is the bright word in a very dark psalm. The psalmist does not say, “O God of my destruction,” though he feels near unto death. He does not say, “O God of my despair,” though his complaint is heavy. He says, “God of my salvation.” Salvation is deliverance, rescue, preservation, help, and safety from danger. The psalmist lays hold of God’s saving name even while he cannot yet see deliverance. This is strong faith. It confesses God by truth rather than by present feeling.
This phrase also teaches that salvation belongs to God. Jonah declared, “Salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9). David called Him “thou God of my salvation” when pleading for mercy after sin (Psalm 51:14). Habakkuk rejoiced in “the God of my salvation” when outward supplies failed (Habakkuk 3:17-18). The psalmist here stands in the same faith. Though surrounded by darkness, he still knows God as the source and giver of salvation.
“My salvation” makes the confession personal. The psalmist does not speak of salvation as a doctrine only, nor as a mercy known by others alone. He calls God the God of “my salvation.” Faith takes hold of God personally, even when comfort is low. Thomas confessed Christ, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). David said, “The LORD is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). Here the afflicted man says, “God of my salvation.” The language of possession is precious in the mouth of one walking through such grief.
“I have cried.” This is earnest prayer. He does not say he has speculated, complained to men, surrendered to despair, or remained silent. He has cried. Crying implies necessity, urgency, pain, and dependence. A cry is not polished speech for display. It comes from distress. The LORD is pleased to hear the cries of His afflicted people. “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalm 34:6). The psalmist in Psalm 88 may not yet have the relief of Psalm 34, but he has the same refuge: he cries unto the LORD.
“Day and night.” His prayer was constant. Trouble did not visit briefly and depart. His crying continued through light and darkness, labor and rest, morning and evening. Many men pray once and faint when no answer appears at once. This man continued. The delay of relief did not stop his prayers. His affliction was long, and so was his crying. David prayed in the watches of the night (Psalm 63:6). The widow in the parable was commended for continual coming (Luke 18:1-7). Paul commanded saints to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Psalm 88 shows such persistence in deep sorrow.
The phrase also shows that spiritual distress does not always leave the soul quickly. Some afflictions continue day and night. Some prayers are repeated through long seasons. A believer may cry earnestly while darkness remains. This should comfort saints who fear that continued sorrow proves lack of faith. The psalmist’s sorrow remained, but so did his prayer. Faith is not proved only by joy; sometimes it is proved by crying still when joy is hidden.
“Before thee.” His cries were directed into the presence of God. He did not pray for man’s applause or religious reputation. He cried before Jehovah. This is the right place for grief. Trouble must be carried into God’s presence. The psalmist’s sorrow was not wandering without object; it was laid before the Lord. Hezekiah spread the letter before the LORD (2 Kings 19:14). Hannah poured out her soul before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:15). The saints are invited to pour out their heart before Him (Psalm 62:8). The afflicted soul in Psalm 88 does the same.
This verse teaches that the darkest prayer may still be true prayer. The psalmist does not begin with strong consolation, but with strong address. He knows God’s name. He knows God’s saving character. He knows where to cry. He knows to continue day and night. Though the rest of the psalm records heavy complaint, verse 1 prevents us from reading it as unbelieving despair. It is the cry of faith from a low place.
The Lord Jesus Christ also knows the depth of crying unto God in sorrow. In the days of His flesh, He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared (Hebrews 5:7). No saint has ever entered darkness where Christ cannot understand the cry of grief. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). Therefore, afflicted believers may cry day and night before God through Him, knowing they have a merciful and faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17-18).
Here the Spirit teaches the afflicted how to begin in darkness. Begin with Jehovah. Call Him the God of your salvation. Cry before Him. Continue day and night. Let trouble drive the soul to prayer rather than silence. Though comfort may not come at once, and though the psalm may still walk through deep shadow, faith has already spoken well when it can say, “O LORD God of my salvation.”
O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
Psalm 88 is one of the darkest psalms in the Psalter. It does not move quickly from sorrow into visible comfort, nor does it end with an open burst of praise. It is the prayer of a soul overwhelmed with affliction, near unto death, shut up, mournful, and seemingly forsaken (vv.3-9). Yet the first verse shows that faith still lives in the darkness. The psalmist is deeply troubled, but he still prays. He feels cast off, but he still calls upon Jehovah. He is full of sorrow, but he still names God as the God of his salvation.
“O LORD.” The prayer begins with Jehovah. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah. The psalmist does not begin with his trouble, though his trouble is great. He begins with God. This is faith under pressure. Affliction may darken the soul, weaken the body, and confuse the thoughts, but the godly man still turns toward Jehovah. He may not feel comfort, but he knows where help must be sought. Jonah prayed from the belly of hell, yet he cried unto the LORD (Jonah 2:2). David said, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God” (Psalm 18:6). So here, the afflicted saint cries first unto Jehovah.
“God.” The psalmist joins the divine name Jehovah with the title God, confessing the One he addresses to be supreme in power, majesty, authority, and dominion. His troubles are not brought before an idol, a priest, a friend, or a vain helper. He cries unto God Himself. This matters greatly in Psalm 88, because the psalmist’s outward condition appears hopeless. When men are brought low, they must know whether they cry into emptiness or unto the living God. The psalmist knows. Though his soul is full of troubles (v.3), God still lives, hears, rules, and saves.
“Of my salvation.” This phrase is the bright word in a very dark psalm. The psalmist does not say, “O God of my destruction,” though he feels near unto death. He does not say, “O God of my despair,” though his complaint is heavy. He says, “God of my salvation.” Salvation is deliverance, rescue, preservation, help, and safety from danger. The psalmist lays hold of God’s saving name even while he cannot yet see deliverance. This is strong faith. It confesses God by truth rather than by present feeling.
This phrase also teaches that salvation belongs to God. Jonah declared, “Salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9). David called Him “thou God of my salvation” when pleading for mercy after sin (Psalm 51:14). Habakkuk rejoiced in “the God of my salvation” when outward supplies failed (Habakkuk 3:17-18). The psalmist here stands in the same faith. Though surrounded by darkness, he still knows God as the source and giver of salvation.
“My salvation” makes the confession personal. The psalmist does not speak of salvation as a doctrine only, nor as a mercy known by others alone. He calls God the God of “my salvation.” Faith takes hold of God personally, even when comfort is low. Thomas confessed Christ, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). David said, “The LORD is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). Here the afflicted man says, “God of my salvation.” The language of possession is precious in the mouth of one walking through such grief.
“I have cried.” This is earnest prayer. He does not say he has speculated, complained to men, surrendered to despair, or remained silent. He has cried. Crying implies necessity, urgency, pain, and dependence. A cry is not polished speech for display. It comes from distress. The LORD is pleased to hear the cries of His afflicted people. “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalm 34:6). The psalmist in Psalm 88 may not yet have the relief of Psalm 34, but he has the same refuge: he cries unto the LORD.
“Day and night.” His prayer was constant. Trouble did not visit briefly and depart. His crying continued through light and darkness, labor and rest, morning and evening. Many men pray once and faint when no answer appears at once. This man continued. The delay of relief did not stop his prayers. His affliction was long, and so was his crying. David prayed in the watches of the night (Psalm 63:6). The widow in the parable was commended for continual coming (Luke 18:1-7). Paul commanded saints to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Psalm 88 shows such persistence in deep sorrow.
The phrase also shows that spiritual distress does not always leave the soul quickly. Some afflictions continue day and night. Some prayers are repeated through long seasons. A believer may cry earnestly while darkness remains. This should comfort saints who fear that continued sorrow proves lack of faith. The psalmist’s sorrow remained, but so did his prayer. Faith is not proved only by joy; sometimes it is proved by crying still when joy is hidden.
“Before thee.” His cries were directed into the presence of God. He did not pray for man’s applause or religious reputation. He cried before Jehovah. This is the right place for grief. Trouble must be carried into God’s presence. The psalmist’s sorrow was not wandering without object; it was laid before the Lord. Hezekiah spread the letter before the LORD (2 Kings 19:14). Hannah poured out her soul before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:15). The saints are invited to pour out their heart before Him (Psalm 62:8). The afflicted soul in Psalm 88 does the same.
This verse teaches that the darkest prayer may still be true prayer. The psalmist does not begin with strong consolation, but with strong address. He knows God’s name. He knows God’s saving character. He knows where to cry. He knows to continue day and night. Though the rest of the psalm records heavy complaint, verse 1 prevents us from reading it as unbelieving despair. It is the cry of faith from a low place.
The Lord Jesus Christ also knows the depth of crying unto God in sorrow. In the days of His flesh, He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared (Hebrews 5:7). No saint has ever entered darkness where Christ cannot understand the cry of grief. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). Therefore, afflicted believers may cry day and night before God through Him, knowing they have a merciful and faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17-18).
Here the Spirit teaches the afflicted how to begin in darkness. Begin with Jehovah. Call Him the God of your salvation. Cry before Him. Continue day and night. Let trouble drive the soul to prayer rather than silence. Though comfort may not come at once, and though the psalm may still walk through deep shadow, faith has already spoken well when it can say, “O LORD God of my salvation.”