I Have Cried Day and Night
Psalm 88 summary: what it means
Psalm 88 is a prayer from someone near death who feels God has turned away. The writer has cried out day and night, and describes himself as counted among the dead, laid in the lowest pit, with God's wrath heavy on him like waves. His friends have been taken from him and he is confined with no escape. He keeps praying anyway, daily and in the morning.
The psalm has no turn to praise. It asks questions that are not answered: do the dead praise you, is your loving kindness declared in the grave. Its last line says God has put lover and friend far away, and the writer's friends into darkness. What remains is that the prayer is still addressed to the God of my salvation.
Psalm 88: I Have Cried Day and Night
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-88
Psalm 88 commentary: explained verse by verse
LORD, the God of my salvation,I have cried day and night before you.
O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
The psalm begins by naming God as the God of my salvation. That title matters, because nothing else in the psalm feels like salvation. The writer has cried out day and night, so this is not a first prayer.
Also read Titus 2:13, Genesis 49:18, Psalm 140:7, Luke 18:7
Let my prayer enter into your presence.Turn your ear to my cry.
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
He asks that his prayer enter God's presence and that God turn his ear to his cry. The request is only to be heard. Nothing is yet asked about rescue.
Also read Psalm 141:1-2, 1 Kings 8:31, Psalm 79:11, Psalm 31:2
For my soul is full of troubles.My life draws near to Sheol.
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
His soul is full of troubles and his life draws near to Sheol, the place of the dead. The verse states his condition plainly. It sets the tone for the rest of the psalm.
Also read Isaiah 53:10-11, Matthew 26:37-39, Job 33:22, Psalm 143:3-4
I am counted among those who go down into the pit.I am like a man who has no help,
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
Also read 2 Corinthians 13:4, Psalm 30:9, Isaiah 38:17-18, Romans 5:6
set apart among the dead,like the slain who lie in the grave,whom you remember no more.They are cut off from your hand.
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.
Also read Psalm 88:16, Isaiah 14:9-12, Ezekiel 32:18-32, Psalm 136:23
You have laid me in the lowest pit,in the darkest depths.
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
The writer says God has laid him in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. He does not describe falling there by accident. He sees God's hand in where he is.
Also read Psalm 86:13, Psalm 69:15, John 12:46, Proverbs 4:19
Your wrath lies heavily on me.You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
God's wrath lies heavily on him, and God has afflicted him with all his waves. The image is of being hit by wave after wave. It returns in verse 17, where terrors surround him like water.
Also read Revelation 6:16-17, Psalm 42:7, Jonah 2:3, Psalm 32:4
You have taken my friends from me.You have made me an abomination to them.I am confined, and I can’t escape.
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.
God has taken his friends from him and made him an abomination to them. He is confined and cannot escape. The loneliness is part of the suffering, not a side effect of it.
Also read John 15:23-24, Matthew 27:21-25, Isaiah 63:3, Psalm 31:11
My eyes are dim from grief.I have called on you daily, LORD.I have spread out my hands to you.
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
His eyes are dim from grief, yet he has called on the LORD daily and spread out his hands to him. The verse holds both together: exhaustion and daily prayer.
Also read John 11:35, Job 16:20, Psalm 68:31, Psalm 102:9
Do you show wonders to the dead?Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
A string of questions begins. Does God show wonders to the dead, do the departed spirits rise up and praise him. The questions press God: if the writer dies, his praise ends.
Also read Isaiah 38:18-19, Luke 7:12-16, Ezekiel 37:1-14, 1 Corinthians 15:52-57
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave?Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
The questions continue: is God's loving kindness declared in the grave, or his faithfulness in Destruction. They set God's best qualities against the silence of death.
Also read 2 Peter 2:1, Job 26:6, Matthew 7:13, Proverbs 15:11
Are your wonders made known in the dark?Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Also read Ecclesiastes 8:10, Matthew 8:12, Psalm 143:3, Ecclesiastes 2:16
But to you, LORD, I have cried.In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
The writer returns to prayer: to you I have cried, and in the morning my prayer comes before you. Each day starts with the same prayer. It is the psalm's steadiest note of persistence.
Also read Mark 1:35, Psalm 119:147-148, Psalm 30:2, Psalm 5:3
LORD, why do you reject my soul?Why do you hide your face from me?
LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
He asks why the LORD rejects his soul and why he hides his face. It is a direct question with no answer in the psalm. The writer brings his confusion straight to God.
Also read Psalm 44:24, Matthew 27:46, Psalm 44:9, Psalm 69:17
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
Also read Isaiah 53:3, Job 17:11-16, Psalm 22:14-15, Luke 22:44
Your fierce wrath has gone over me.Your terrors have cut me off.
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
Also read Daniel 9:26, Galatians 3:13, Isaiah 53:8, Psalm 90:7
They came around me like water all day long.They completely engulfed me.
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
Also read Psalm 116:3, Matthew 27:39-44, Psalm 118:10-12, Psalm 42:7
You have put lover and friend far from me,and my friends into darkness.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
The last verse says God has put lover and friend far away, and the writer's friends into darkness. The psalm ends here, without relief. It leaves an unresolved prayer, still spoken to God.
Also read Psalm 38:11, Job 19:12-15, Psalm 31:11, Psalm 88:8
A prayer from Psalm 88
LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you. Let my prayer come into your presence, and turn your ear to my cry. My soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave. I feel like someone with no help, laid in the darkest depths. My friends have been taken from me. My eyes are dim from grief, and still I spread out my hands to you. In the morning my prayer comes before you. Why do you hide your face from me? Lover and friend are far away, and darkness is near. Still, I bring this to you. Amen.
Psalm 88 Bible study questions
- In verses 10 to 12, what questions does the writer ask God about the dead and the grave?
- According to verses 8 and 18, what has happened to the writer's friends and companions?
- The psalm ends without any turn to praise; what do you make of a prayer that stays in the dark to its last line?
- Verse 13 says the writer keeps praying each morning; what do you think keeps someone praying when nothing seems to change?
- Psalm 13:1 also asks how long God will hide his face; how does the ending of Psalm 13 differ from the ending of Psalm 88?
Questions about Psalm 88
What is Psalm 88 about?
It is a prayer from someone near death who feels abandoned by God and by friends. He keeps crying out day and night, but the psalm ends without any turn to relief or praise.
Who wrote Psalm 88?
The heading attributes it to the sons of Korah and calls it a contemplation by Heman the Ezrahite. It is addressed to the Chief Musician, to the tune of The Suffering of Affliction.
What does Psalm 88 mean?
It records a person praying honestly from despair, without pretending things are better. The writer sees God's hand in his suffering, yet keeps addressing him as the God of my salvation.
What does Psalm 88:18 mean?
It is the last verse: God has put lover and friend far from the writer, and his friends into darkness. The psalm ends in isolation, with nothing resolved.
What does Psalm 88:13 mean?
The writer says he has cried to the LORD and that his prayer comes before God in the morning. Even without an answer, he keeps praying each day.
Why does Psalm 88 end in darkness?
The text does not say. The psalm simply stops at the writer's lowest point, so it records a prayer that has not yet been answered.
Psalm 88 KJV: the King James Version
O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:1
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;2
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.3
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:4
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.5
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.6
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.7
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.8
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.9
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.10
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?11
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?12
But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.13
LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?14
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.15
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.16
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.17
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.18
Psalm 88 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 שִׁ֥יר מִזְמ֗וֹר לִבְנֵ֫י קֹ֥רַח לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל־מָחֲלַ֣ת לְעַנּ֑וֹת מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל לְהֵימָ֥ן הָאֶזְרָחִֽי׃
2 יְ֭הוָה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י יוֹם־צָעַ֖קְתִּי בַלַּ֣יְלָה נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃
3 תָּב֣וֹא לְ֭פָנֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתִ֑י הַטֵּֽה־אָ֝זְנְךָ֗ לְרִנָּתִֽי׃
4 כִּֽי־שָֽׂבְעָ֣ה בְרָע֣וֹת נַפְשִׁ֑י וְחַיַּ֗י לִשְׁא֥וֹל הִגִּֽיעוּ׃
5 נֶ֭חְשַׁבְתִּי עִם־י֣וֹרְדֵי ב֑וֹר הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כְּגֶ֣בֶר אֵֽין־אֱיָֽל׃
6 בַּמֵּתִ֗ים חָ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּמ֤וֹ חֲלָלִ֨ים ׀ שֹׁ֥כְבֵי קֶ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹ֣א זְכַרְתָּ֣ם ע֑וֹד וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה מִיָּדְךָ֥ נִגְזָֽרוּ׃
7 שַׁ֭תַּנִי בְּב֣וֹר תַּחְתִּיּ֑וֹת בְּ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים בִּמְצֹלֽוֹת׃
8 עָ֭לַי סָמְכָ֣ה חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְכָל־מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗יךָ עִנִּ֥יתָ סֶּֽלָה׃
9 הִרְחַ֥קְתָּ מְיֻדָּעַ֗י מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי שַׁתַּ֣נִי תוֹעֵב֣וֹת לָ֑מוֹ כָּ֝לֻ֗א וְלֹ֣א אֵצֵֽא׃
10 עֵינִ֥י דָאֲבָ֗ה מִנִּ֫י עֹ֥נִי קְרָאתִ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה בְּכָל־י֑וֹם שִׁטַּ֖חְתִּי אֵלֶ֣יךָ כַפָּֽי׃
11 הֲלַמֵּתִ֥ים תַּעֲשֶׂה־פֶּ֑לֶא אִם־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים יָק֤וּמוּ ׀ יוֹד֬וּךָ סֶּֽלָה׃
12 הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר בַּקֶּ֣בֶר חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃
13 הֲיִוָּדַ֣ע בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ פִּלְאֶ֑ךָ וְ֝צִדְקָתְךָ֗ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ נְשִׁיָּֽה׃
14 וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה שִׁוַּ֑עְתִּי וּ֝בַבֹּ֗קֶר תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י תְקַדְּמֶֽךָּ׃
15 לָמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה תִּזְנַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֑י תַּסְתִּ֖יר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
16 עָ֘נִ֤י אֲנִ֣י וְגֹוֵ֣עַ מִנֹּ֑עַר נָשָׂ֖אתִי אֵמֶ֣יךָ אָפֽוּנָה׃
17 עָ֭לַי עָבְר֣וּ חֲרוֹנֶ֑יךָ בִּ֝עוּתֶ֗יךָ צִמְּתוּתֻֽנִי׃
18 סַבּ֣וּנִי כַ֭מַּיִם כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם הִקִּ֖יפוּ עָלַ֣י יָֽחַד׃
19 הִרְחַ֣קְתָּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי אֹהֵ֣ב וָרֵ֑עַ מְֽיֻדָּעַ֥י מַחְשָֽׁךְ׃
Psalm 88 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 87 there.
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1 A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite.
2 O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
3 Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
4 For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell.
5 I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
6 Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
7 They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
8 Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
9 Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
10 My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
11 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
12 Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
13 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
14 But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
15 Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
16 I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
17 Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
18 They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
19 Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
Psalm 88 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 87.
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1 Canticum Psalmi, filiis Core, in finem, pro Maheleth ad respondendum. Intellectus Eman Ezrahitæ.
2 Domine, Deus salutis meæ, in die clamavi et nocte coram te.
3 Intret in conspectu tuo oratio mea, inclina aurem tuam ad precem meam.
4 Quia repleta est malis anima mea, et vita mea inferno appropinquavit.
5 Æstimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum, factus sum sicut homo sine adjutorio,
6 inter mortuos liber; sicut vulnerati dormientes in sepulchris, quorum non es memor amplius, et ipsi de manu tua repulsi sunt.
7 Posuerunt me in lacu inferiori, in tenebrosis, et in umbra mortis.
8 Super me confirmatus est furor tuus, et omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me.
9 Longe fecisti notos meos a me; posuerunt me abominationem sibi. Traditus sum, et non egrediebar;
10 oculi mei languerunt præ inopia. Clamavi ad te, Domine, tota die; expandi ad te manus meas.
11 Numquid mortuis facies mirabilia? aut medici suscitabunt, et confitebuntur tibi?
12 Numquid narrabit aliquis in sepulchro misericordiam tuam, et veritatem tuam in perditione?
13 Numquid cognoscentur in tenebris mirabilia tua? et justitia tua in terra oblivionis?
14 Et ego ad te, Domine, clamavi, et mane oratio mea præveniet te.
15 Ut quid, Domine, repellis orationem meam; avertis faciem tuam a me?
16 Pauper sum ego, et in laboribus a juventute mea; exaltatus autem, humiliatus sum et conturbatus.
17 In me transierunt iræ tuæ, et terrores tui conturbaverunt me:
18 circumdederunt me sicut aqua tota die; circumdederunt me simul.
19 Elongasti a me amicum et proximum, et notos meos a miseria.
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Psalm 88 at a glance
| Verses | 18 |
| Heading in the text | 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. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to the sons of Korah and calls it a contemplation by Heman the Ezrahite, set to the tune of The Suffering of Affliction. |
| Type | Lament |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 87 |
Read Psalm 88 when you are facing
Psalm 88 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 88 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 88 belongs
Psalms of the sons of KorahBook 3 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source