Psalm 88:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength,

NIV: I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength.

NASB: I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength,

CSB: I am counted among those going down to the Pit. I am like a man without strength,

NLT: I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left.

KJV: I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

NKJV: I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength,

Psalm 88:1–9 opens a prayer for God to relieve suffering. The psalmist thinks of himself as "as good as dead" because of his extreme troubles. This mourning of deep sorrow includes images of drowning, darkness, and the realm of the dead. Even friends have abandoned him and he feels trapped.

The psalmist uses a variety of phrases to express deep despair and anguish. He is considered as good as dead, like someone already buried and forgotten by others. The impression that God is judging him is like drowning in an ocean. Even close friends are absent. The psalmist claims he cannot praise or worship God if he dies.

This is considered one of the darkest passages in Scripture. Most psalms which express deep pain resolve into statements of assurance (Psalm 3; 74; 142). Yet Psalm 88 only records the psalmist's angst and frustration; there is no suggested resolution. Scripture acknowledges the struggles faced by imperfect people in an imperfect world (Habakkuk 1:2–4) and that the Lord can hear even our frustrated prayers (Romans 8:26). Little else is known about this Heman, though he may be the same mentioned in other Scriptures (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 2:6). Psalm 88 is the last associated with the Sons of Korah.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 12/18/2024 12:56:22 PM