TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
For I am oversupplied with troubles, which have brought me to the brink of Sh'ol.
Young's Literal Translation
For my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol.
See also
In the KJVVerse 15,312 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 88 verses 1–9
1 ¶ A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
It should seem, by the titles of this and the following psalm, that Heman was the penman of the one and Ethan of the other. There were two, of these names, who were sons of Zerah the son of Judah, Ch1 2:4, Ch1 2:6. There were two others famed for wisdom, Kg1 4:31, where, to magnify Solomon's wisdom, he is said to be wiser than Heman and Ethan. Whether the Heman and Ethan who were Levites and precentors in the songs of Zion were the same we are not sure, nor which of these, nor whether any of these, were the penmen of these psalms. There was a Heman that was one of the chief singers, who is called the king's seer, or prophet, in the words of God (Ch1 25:5); it is probable that this also was a seer, and yet could see no comfort for himself, an instructor and comforter of others, and yet himself putting comfort away from him. The very first words of the psalm are the only words of comfort and support in all the psalm. There is nothing about him but clouds and darkness; but, before he begins his complaint, he calls God the God of his salvation, which intimates both that he looked for salvation, bad as things were, and that he looked up to God for the salvation and depended upon him to be the author of it. Now here we have the psalmist,
I. A man of prayer, one that gave himself to prayer at all times, but especially now that he was in affliction; for is any afflicted? let him pray. It is his comfort that he had prayed; it is his complaint that, notwithstanding his prayer, he was still in affliction. He was, 1. Very earnest in prayer: "I have cried unto thee (Psa 88:1), and have stretched out my hands unto thee (Psa 88:9), as one that would take hold on thee, and even catch at the mercy, with a holy fear of coming short and missing of it." 2. He was very frequent and constant in prayer: I have called upon thee daily (Psa 88:9), nay, day and night, Psa 88:1. For thus men ought always to pray, and not to faint; God's own elect cry day and night to him, not only morning and evening, beginning every day and every night with prayer, but spending the day and night in prayer. This is indeed praying always; and then we shall speed in prayer, when we continue instant in prayer. 3. He directed his prayer to God, and from him expected and desired an answer (Psa 88:2): "Let my prayer come before thee, to be accepted of thee, not before men, to be seen of them, as the Pharisees' prayers." He does not desire that men should hear them, but, "Lord, incline thy ear unto my cry, for to that I refer myself; give what answer to it thou pleasest."
II. He was a man of sorrows, and therefore some make him, in this psalm, a type of Christ, whose complaints on the cross, and sometimes before, were much to the same purport with this psalm. He cries out (Psa 88:3): My soul is full of troubles; so Christ said, Now is my soul troubled; and, in his agony, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death, like the psalmist's here, for he says, My life draws nigh unto the grave. Heman was a very wise man, and a very good man, a man of God, and a singer too, and one may therefore suppose him to have been a man of a cheerful spirit, and yet now a man of sorrowful spirit, troubled in mind, and upon the brink of despair. Inward trouble is the sorest trouble, and that which, sometimes, the best of God's saints and servants have been severely exercised with. The spirit of man, of the greatest of men, will not always sustain his infirmity, but will droop and sink under it; who then can bear a wounded spirit?
III. He looked upon himself as a dying man, whose heart was ready to break with sorrow (Psa 88:5): "Free among the dead (one of that ghastly corporation), like the slain that lie in the grave, whose rotting and perishing nobody takes notice of or is concerned for, nay, whom thou rememberest no more, to protect or provide for the dead bodies, but they become an easy prey to corruption and the worms; they are cut off from thy hand, which used to be employed in supporting them and reaching out to them; but, now there is no more occasion for this, they are cut off from it and cut off by it" (for God will not stretch out his hand to the grave, Job 30:24); "thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, as low as possible, my condition low, my spirits low, in darkness, in the deep (Psa 88:6), sinking, and seeing no way open of escape, brought to the last extremity, and ready to give up all for gone." Thus greatly may good men be afflicted, such dismal apprehensions may they have concerning their afflictions, and such dark conclusions may they sometimes be ready to make concerning the issue of them, through the power of melancholy and the weakness of faith.
IV. He complained most of God's displeasure against him, which infused the wormwood and the gall into the affliction and the misery (Psa 88:7): Thy wrath lies hard upon me. Could he have discerned the favour and love of God in his affliction, it would have lain light upon him; but it lay hard, very hard, upon him, so that he was ready to sink and faint under it. The impressions of this wrath upon his spirits were God's waves with which he afflicted him, which rolled upon him, one on the neck of another, so that he scarcely recovered from one dark thought before he was oppressed with another; these waves beat against him with noise and fury; not some, but all, of God's waves were made use of in afflicting him and bearing him down. Even the children of God's love may sometimes apprehend themselves children of wrath, and no outward trouble can lie so hard upon them as that apprehension.
V. It added to his affliction that his friends deserted him and made themselves strange to him. When we are in trouble it is some comfort to have those about us that love us, and sympathize with us; but this good man had none such, which gives him occasion, not to accuse them, or charge them with treachery, ingratitude, and inhumanity, but to complain to God, with an eye to his hand in this part of the affliction (Psa 88:8): Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me. Providence had removed them, or rendered them incapable of being serviceable to him, or alienated their affections from him; for every creature is that to us (and no more) that God makes it to be. If our old acquaintance be shy of us, and those we expect kindness from prove unkind, we must bear that with the same patient submission to the divine will that we do other afflictions, Job 19:13. Nay, his friends were not only strange to him, but even hated him, because he was poor and in distress: "Thou hast made me an abomination to them; they are not only shy of me, but sick of me, and I am looked upon by them, not only with contempt, but with abhorrence." Let none think it strange concerning such a trial as this, when Heman, who was so famed for wisdom, was yet, when the world frowned upon him, neglected, as a vessel in which is no pleasure.
VI. He looked upon his case as helpless and deplorable: "I am shut up, and I cannot come forth, a close prisoner, under the arrests of divine wrath, and no way open of escape." He therefore lies down and sinks under his troubles, because he sees not any probability of getting out of them. For thus he bemoans himself (Psa 88:9): My eye mourneth by reason of affliction. Sometimes giving vent to grief by weeping gives some ease to a troubled spirit. Yet weeping must not hinder praying; we must sow in tears: My eye mourns, but I cry unto thee daily. Let prayers and tears go together, and they shall be accepted together. I have heard thy prayers, I have seen thy tears.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 88
"For my soul is filled with evils, and my life draws near unto hell" [Psalm 88:3]. Dare we speak of the Soul of Christ as "filled with evils," when the passion had strength as far as it had any, only over the body?...The soul therefore may feel pain without the body: but without the soul the body cannot. Why therefore should we not say that the Soul of Christ was full of the evils of humanity, though not of human sins? Another Prophet says of Him, that He grieved for us: [Isaiah 53:4] and the Evangelist says, "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy:" and our Lord Himself says unto them of Himself, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." [Matthew 26:37-38] The Prophet who composed this Psalm, foreseeing that this would happen, introduces Him saying, "My soul is full of evils, and My life draws near unto hell." For the very same sense is here expressed in other words, as when He said, "My soul is sorrowful, even unto death." The words, "My soul is sorrowful," are like these, "My soul is full of evils:" and what follows, "even unto death," like, "my life draws near unto hell." These feelings of human infirmity our Lord took upon Him, as He did the flesh of human infirmity, and the death of human flesh, not by the necessity of His condition, but by the free will of His mercy, that He might transfigure into Himself His own body, which is the Church (the head of which He deigned to be), that is, His members in His holy and faithful disciples: that if amid human temptations any one among them happened to be in sorrow and pain, he might not therefore think that he was separated from His favour: that the body, like the chorus following its leader, might learn from its Head, that these sorrows were not sin, but proofs of human weakness. We read of the Apostle Paul, a chief member in this body, and we hear him confessing that his soul was full of such evils, when he says, that he feels "great heaviness and continual sorrow in heart for his brethren according to the flesh, who are Israelites." And if we say that our Lord was sorrowful for them also at the approach of His Passion, in which they would incur the most atrocious guilt, I think we shall not speak amiss.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 88:3 starkly articulates the psalmist's profound and pervasive despair, revealing a soul utterly consumed by afflictions and a life perceived as rapidly nearing its end. This verse immediately establishes the psalm's unique and unyielding tone of lament, setting the stage for a cry of suffering that diverges from typical psalmodic patterns by offering no traditional resolution or expression of hope, thereby highlighting a deep sense of abandonment and imminent demise.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 88:3 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey the psalmist's profound despair. Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "my soul is full of troubles," suggesting a complete saturation and overwhelming quantity of affliction, far beyond what is merely troublesome. This emphasizes the totality of his suffering and the lack of any remaining space for peace. The use of "soul" (nephesh) and "life" (chay) can be seen as forms of Synecdoche, where a part (the inner being, the vital force) represents the whole person, underscoring that his entire being is affected by this pervasive distress. Furthermore, the phrase "my life draweth nigh unto the grave" is a powerful piece of Imagery, creating a vivid mental picture of someone on the brink of death, physically and spiritually descending into the underworld. The entire psalm, and this verse within it, is a quintessential example of Lament, a poetic genre characterized by cries of distress, complaint, and petition, though notably, Psalm 88 lacks the typical turn to hope or praise found in most other biblical laments, making its expression of despair uniquely unmitigated.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 88:3 stands as a stark testament to the depth of human suffering and the biblical permission to express raw, unvarnished despair before God. The psalmist's experience validates the reality that faith does not exempt one from profound anguish, even to the point of feeling utterly consumed and abandoned. The theological significance lies in the Bible's unflinching portrayal of such agony, acknowledging the full spectrum of human emotion, including intense sorrow and hopelessness, without immediately offering a neat resolution. This psalm, therefore, serves as a vital resource for understanding the cries of those who feel utterly forsaken, even by God, and implicitly invites believers to bring their deepest pains into the divine presence, trusting that God hears, even when answers are not immediately apparent. It underscores that honest lament is a legitimate form of prayer and worship.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 88:3 offers profound validation and comfort for anyone experiencing deep, prolonged, and seemingly unending suffering—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. It reminds us that the biblical narrative is not sanitized; it includes voices that cry out from the very depths of despair, feeling utterly overwhelmed and on the brink of collapse. For the believer, this verse provides permission to be brutally honest with God about our pain, even when hope seems absent or when we feel abandoned. It teaches us that authentic faith embraces the full spectrum of human emotion, including the darkest valleys, and that our cries, however despairing, are heard by a God who is intimately acquainted with suffering. It encourages empathy towards those in profound distress, recognizing that such pain is a universal human experience, and challenges us to stand with those who feel utterly alone, even when we cannot offer immediate solutions. While this psalm offers no immediate resolution within its own verses, its inclusion in the inspired Word assures us that even in the most desolate moments, our honest lament is a form of prayer, a persistent cry to the One who knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. It reminds us that God's presence is not contingent on our emotional state or the absence of suffering.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Psalm 88 so unique and seemingly devoid of hope compared to other psalms of lament?
Answer: Psalm 88 is unique because, unlike most other laments (e.g., Psalms 13, Psalms 22), it does not conclude with a traditional "turn" or shift to an expression of trust, praise, or renewed hope. It begins in deep despair and ends there, with the psalmist's "darkness" remaining his "closest friend" (Psalms 88:18). This starkness emphasizes the raw, unmitigated reality of profound suffering and perceived divine abandonment as experienced by the psalmist. Its inclusion in the Psalter validates the experience of those who find themselves in the deepest valleys, assuring them that even their most desperate cries are part of the divinely inspired record of human faith and struggle. It reminds us that faith is not always about immediate resolution but sometimes about persistent, honest lament in the face of overwhelming pain, trusting that God hears even in the silence.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 88:3, with its raw depiction of a soul "full of troubles" and a life drawing "nigh unto the grave," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Heman's lament expresses the depths of human suffering and perceived divine abandonment, Jesus, the Son of God, truly entered into and perfectly embodied this experience. In the Garden of Gethsemane, His soul was "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38), echoing the psalmist's "soul is full of troubles." On the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), a direct quote from Psalms 22:1, demonstrating His complete identification with the feeling of abandonment, even from the Father, as He bore the sins of the world. His life truly "drew nigh unto the grave," as He willingly descended into death and the realm of Sheol (Acts 2:27), experiencing the desolation of the grave, only to conquer it through His glorious resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Thus, the seemingly hopeless cry of Psalms 88:3 is transformed into a testament to Christ's solidarity with suffering humanity and His ultimate victory over the very forces of trouble, death, and despair that once held humanity captive, offering eternal hope where there was once only the grave.