What does Psalm 88:7 mean?
ESV: Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah
NIV: Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
NASB: Your wrath has rested upon me, And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah
CSB: Your wrath weighs heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. Selah
NLT: Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude
KJV: Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
NKJV: Your wrath lies heavy upon me, And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
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.
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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.
Book Summary:
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.
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