Psalm 88 Feb. 19 A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of The Suffering of Affliction. A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite.  1Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before You. 2Let my prayer enter into Your presence, turn Your ear to my cry; 3for my soul is full of troubles, my life draws near to Sheol. 4I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help, 5set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more- they are cut off from Your hand. 6You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. 7Your wrath lies heavily upon me; You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah. 8You have taken my friends from me, You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut in and I can’t escape. 9My eyes are dim from grief; I have called on You daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to You. 10Do You show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise You? Selah. 11Is Your grace declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in Destruction? 12Are Your wonders made known in the dark? Or Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 13But to You, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before You. 14Yahweh, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? 15I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up; while I suffer Your terrors, I am distracted. 16Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off. 17They came around me like water all day long, they completely engulfed me. 18You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.  

Commentary

88:2 It’s an amazing thought that the words of our prayers enter into God’s personal presence. This was symbolized by the way the incense (representing prayer, Rev. 8:3,4) burnt in the holy place  permeated into the Most Holy Place. 
88:9 I have spread out my hands to You- This is a good physical posture to adopt in our prayers, signifying as it does our openness to God’s answer, whatever it may be; and the openness of our heart to Him.
88:10 The faithful Psalmist knew that death was unconsciousness; he wanted to remain alive so as to keep on praising God. And this should also be our very reason for being alive.
88:13 In the morning- Starting each day in prayer is a vital spiritual habit of the spiritually successful person. How we start the day affects how that day proceeds spiritually.