I love the Psalms.  Sometimes we can think only of God as distant, above our emotions and circumstances, but the Psalms destroy that idea.  The Psalms cover every type of emotional circumstance that can plague our hearts and reaching out to God as a compassionate helper and friend.

Psalm 88 is unique in that while most Psalms offer encouragement at the end, Psalm 88 does not.  Psalm 88 is just a Psalm of lament – crying out to God amidst horrible circumstances, confident that God hears.  At the same time the Psalmist appeals to God’s sovereignty, acknowledging that nothing good or bad happens apart from God’s design, and so He is crying out in despair to the God who is in control of all things.  Some would see this Psalm as depressing, but it is comforting to me.  It’s comforting to know that sometimes we don’t have to put on a facade of being happy Christians, as if that is what God requires of you.  Sometimes there’s a healthy amount of just being honest with God, that you don’t understand “why”, even while you hold onto the knowledge that God is good and hears your prayers.  It’s ok just to be sad and know that God is with you in the sadness.  Even Jesus wept when he saw the crowd of people lamenting over the death of Lazarus.

Psalm 88 ends in this way – ¹³ But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.  ¹⁴ O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?  Why do you hide your face from me?  ¹⁵ Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.  ¹⁶ Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me.  ¹⁷ They surround me like a flood all day long;  they close in on me together.  ¹⁸ You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.“

This is a person who has encountered great suffering.  Afflictions and the loss of all those close to him – to the point of despair.  Yet, the psalmist crys out to God every morning.  He knows God is in control of all things, and is helpless before Him.  Psalm 88 doesn’t give an answer from God, or even an answer from within the Psalmist’s own rememberance of God’s promises, but because it’s Friday, I can’t leave you all without this encouragement.

We may never know all the “whys” of life.  Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us – “The secret things belong to the Lord our God”  God is in control of everything.  He is in control of every good and bad thing that will ever happen – yet He is good, and His delight is in you as His Son or Daughter in Jesus.

Lamentations 3:31-32 – “the Lord will not cast off forever, ³² but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;”

Grace and Peace,

Adam