For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. For my soulThe Hebrew word for "soul" here is "nephesh," which often refers to the life force or the very essence of a person. In the context of Psalm 88, it signifies the depth of the psalmist's being, emphasizing the profound personal nature of his suffering. The soul is not just the seat of emotions but the core of one's identity and existence. This highlights the intensity of the psalmist's lament, as it is not merely a physical or emotional affliction but one that penetrates to the very core of his being. is full
The Hebrew word "saba" is used here, meaning to be sated or filled to the brim. This conveys a sense of overwhelming abundance, but in this context, it is an abundance of distress and sorrow. The psalmist is not experiencing a temporary or light affliction; rather, his soul is completely saturated with suffering. This fullness suggests a state of being that leaves no room for relief or comfort, underscoring the depth of his despair. of troubles
The word "troubles" is translated from the Hebrew "ra‘," which can mean evil, distress, or adversity. It indicates not just minor inconveniences but significant, life-altering challenges. Historically, this could reflect the trials faced by the Israelites, such as exile or persecution. Spiritually, it resonates with the believer's journey through trials and tribulations, reminding us that even the faithful can experience profound suffering. and my life
The term "life" here is "chay," which refers to one's existence or living state. The psalmist is expressing that his very life, not just his soul, is affected by his troubles. This suggests a holistic suffering that impacts every aspect of his being. It is a reminder of the interconnectedness of our spiritual, emotional, and physical states. draws near
The phrase "draws near" comes from the Hebrew "qarab," which means to approach or come close. This indicates an imminent threat or a looming presence. The psalmist feels as though he is on the brink of something dire, emphasizing the urgency and severity of his situation. It is a vivid portrayal of the proximity of danger or death. to Sheol
"Sheol" is a Hebrew term often used to describe the realm of the dead or the grave. It is not necessarily a place of punishment but rather a shadowy existence apart from the living. In the Old Testament context, Sheol represents the ultimate separation from God and life. The psalmist's reference to Sheol underscores the depth of his despair, as he feels close to death and distant from the presence of God. This serves as a poignant reminder of the hope found in Christ, who conquered death and offers eternal life, transforming our understanding of Sheol from a place of despair to one of victory through His resurrection. Persons / Places / Events 1. The Psalmist (Heman the Ezrahite)The author of Psalm 88, traditionally identified as Heman the Ezrahite, is known for his wisdom and musical contributions to the temple worship. He is a figure associated with the sons of Korah, a group of temple musicians. 2. SheolIn Hebrew thought, Sheol is the realm of the dead, a place of darkness and silence. It is often depicted as a shadowy existence, distinct from the vibrant life experienced in the presence of God. 3. The Psalm's ContextPsalm 88 is a lament, one of the most somber and despairing in the Psalter. It reflects a deep sense of abandonment and unrelenting suffering, with the psalmist crying out to God from a place of profound distress. Teaching Points Understanding Deep SufferingThe psalmist's expression of a soul "full of troubles" invites believers to acknowledge and validate the reality of deep emotional and spiritual suffering. It is a reminder that such experiences are part of the human condition and are present in the biblical account. The Reality of SheolSheol represents the ultimate separation from life and God. The psalmist's proximity to Sheol underscores the urgency of seeking God's presence and intervention in times of despair. Crying Out to GodDespite the overwhelming sense of abandonment, the psalmist continues to cry out to God. This teaches the importance of maintaining communication with God, even when He seems distant. Hope in DespairWhile Psalm 88 does not resolve with a note of hope, its inclusion in Scripture suggests that God is present even in our darkest moments. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's faithfulness, even when it is not immediately apparent. Community SupportThe communal nature of the Psalms reminds us of the importance of seeking support from fellow believers during times of distress. Sharing burdens within the community of faith can provide comfort and strength. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the psalmist's expression of a soul "full of troubles" resonate with your own experiences of suffering or despair? 2. In what ways can the concept of Sheol help us understand the depth of the psalmist's distress, and how does this shape our view of life and death? 3. How can we maintain a practice of crying out to God, even when we feel abandoned or unheard, as demonstrated by the psalmist? 4. What other biblical figures or accounts reflect a similar experience of deep suffering, and how do their accounts provide insight or encouragement? 5. How can the community of faith support individuals who are experiencing a "Psalm 88" season in their lives, and what practical steps can we take to offer such support? Connections to Other Scriptures Job's Lament Similar to the lament of the psalmist, Job expresses his anguish and sense of abandonment by God. Both texts explore themes of suffering and the seeming absence of divine intervention. Jonah's Prayer Jonah, from the belly of the fish, cries out to God, feeling as though he is in the depths of Sheol. This connection highlights the theme of calling out to God from a place of despair. Jesus in Gethsemane Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane reflects a soul troubled unto death, paralleling the psalmist's expression of deep sorrow and distress. People Abaddon, Ethan, Heman, Korah, Mahalath, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Draweth, Drawn, Draws, Evils, Full, Grave, Nigh, Sated, Sheol, Soul, Trouble, Troubles, UnderworldDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 88:3 9040 grave, the Psalm 88:1-3 5436 pain Psalm 88:1-9 5970 unhappiness Psalm 88:1-18 5831 depression
8613 prayer, persistence Psalm 88:3-5 5288 dead, the Psalm 88:3-18 5265 complaints Library Out of the Deep of Doubt, Darkness, and Hell.
O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night unto Thee. Oh! let my prayer enter into Thy presence. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh unto Hell. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in a place of darkness, and in the deep.--Ps. lxxxviii. 1, 2. If I go down to Hell, Thou art there also. Yea, the darkness is no darkness with Thee; but the night is as clear as the day.--Ps. cxxxix. 7, 11. I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my calling. …
Charles Kingsley—Out of the DeepHow to Make Use of Christ as the Truth, that we May Get Our Case and Condition Cleared up to Us.
The believer is oft complaining of darkness concerning his case and condition, so as he cannot tell what to say of himself, or what judgment to pass on himself, and he knoweth not how to win to a distinct and clear discovery of his state and condition. Now, it is truth alone, and the Truth, that can satisfy them as to this. The question then is, how they shall make use of, and apply themselves to this truth, to the end they may get the truth of their condition discovered to them. But first let us …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life How a Desolate Man Ought to Commit Himself into the Hands of God
O Lord, Holy Father, be Thou blessed now and evermore; because as Thou wilt so it is done, and what Thou doest is good. Let Thy servant rejoice in Thee, not in himself, nor in any other; because Thou alone art the true joy, Thou art my hope and my crown, Thou art my joy and my honour, O Lord. What hath Thy servant, which he received not from Thee, even without merit of his own? Thine are all things which Thou hast given, and which Thou hast made. I am poor and in misery even from my youth up,(1) …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit His Past Work.
His past work was accomplished by Him when he became incarnate. It was finished when He died on Calvary's cross. We have therefore to consider first of all these fundamentals of our faith. I. The Work of the Son of God is foreshadowed and predicted in the Old Testament Scriptures. II. The incarnation of the Son of God. III. His Work on the cross and what has been accomplished by it. I. Through the Old Testament Scriptures, God announced beforehand the work of His Son. This is a great theme and one …
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ How is Christ, as the Life, to be Applied by a Soul that Misseth God's Favour and Countenance.
The sixth case, that we shall speak a little to, is a deadness, occasioned by the Lord's hiding of himself, who is their life, and "the fountain of life," Ps. xxxvi. 9, and "whose loving-kindness is better than life," Ps. lxiii. 3, and "in whose favour is their life," Ps. xxx. 5. A case, which the frequent complaints of the saints manifest to be rife enough, concerning which we shall, 1. Shew some of the consequences of the Lord's hiding his face, whereby the soul's case will appear. 2. Shew the …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Letter xvi to Rainald, Abbot of Foigny
To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny Bernard declares to him how little he loves praise; that the yoke of Christ is light; that he declines the name of father, and is content with that of brother. 1. In the first place, do not wonder if titles of honour affright me, when I feel myself so unworthy of the honours themselves; and if it is fitting that you should give them to me, it is not expedient for me to accept them. For if you think that you ought to observe that saying, In honour preferring one another …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Letter xxiv (Circa A. D. 1126) to Oger, Regular Canon
To Oger, Regular Canon [34] Bernard blames him for his resignation of his pastoral charge, although made from the love of a calm and pious life. None the less, he instructs him how, after becoming a private person, he ought to live in community. To Brother Oger, the Canon, Brother Bernard, monk but sinner, wishes that he may walk worthily of God even to the end, and embraces him with the fullest affection. 1. If I seem to have been too slow in replying to your letter, ascribe it to my not having …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux The Wrath of God
What does every sin deserve? God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.' Matt 25: 41. Man having sinned, is like a favourite turned out of the king's favour, and deserves the wrath and curse of God. He deserves God's curse. Gal 3: 10. As when Christ cursed the fig-tree, it withered; so, when God curses any, he withers in his soul. Matt 21: 19. God's curse blasts wherever it comes. He deserves also God's wrath, which is …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire Until the Collapse of the Western Empire and the First Schism Between the East and the West, or Until About A. D. 500
In the second period of the history of the Church under the Christian Empire, the Church, although existing in two divisions of the Empire and experiencing very different political fortunes, may still be regarded as forming a whole. The theological controversies distracting the Church, although different in the two halves of the Graeco-Roman world, were felt to some extent in both divisions of the Empire and not merely in the one in which they were principally fought out; and in the condemnation …
Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History Sense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son.
For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. Rom. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. Ps. xlix. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' (Isa. vi. 8). But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, …
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius Of Faith. The Definition of It. Its Peculiar Properties.
1. A brief recapitulation of the leading points of the whole discussion. The scope of this chapter. The necessity of the doctrine of faith. This doctrine obscured by the Schoolmen, who make God the object of faith, without referring to Christ. The Schoolmen refuted by various passages. 2. The dogma of implicit faith refuted. It destroys faith, which consists in a knowledge of the divine will. What this will is, and how necessary the knowledge of it. 3. Many things are and will continue to be implicitly …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 88:3 NIVPsalm 88:3 NLTPsalm 88:3 ESVPsalm 88:3 NASBPsalm 88:3 KJV
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