Introduction: This Psalm is in the same spirit as James 5:13, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. . . .” (Read Ecclesiastes 7:1-4).
The Psalmist’s desperate condition:
1. Vs. 3 ____________________ and ______________________
2. Vs. 7 ____________________ and _______________________
Questions to help us think deeper:
1. Is the Psalmist facing something that is common to man?
2. Where are the Psalmist’s friends?
3. Is there any hope in this Psalm?
4. What reasons does the Psalmist give for desiring to live?
5. Could some of the verses in this Psalm be Messianic?
Questions of personal application:
1. How should this Psalm influence your prayers tonight?
2. Is there a particular verse that speaks to your heart?
Special quote:Psalms 88 – “This psalm is altogether of a mournful and desponding character. The author is a sufferer; he is expecting to die; he fears to die; he longs to live; his mind is overwhelmed with gloom which does not seem to be irradiated by one ray of hope or consolation. It is, in this respect, unlike most of the psalms which relate to sickness, to sorrow, to suffering, for in those psalms generally there springs up, in answer to prayer, a gleam of hope – some cheerful view – some sustaining prospect; so that, though a psalm begins in despondency and gloom, it ends with joy and triumph. Compare, among others, Psa_6:9-10; Psa_7:17; Psa_13:6; Psa_42:8, Psa_42:11; Psa_56:11-13; Psa_59:16; Psa_69:34, Psa_69:36. But in this psalm there is no relief; there is no comfort. As the Book of Psalms was designed to be useful in all ages, and to all classes of people, and as such a state of mind as that described in this psalm might occur again and often – it was proper that such a condition of utter despondency, even in a good man, should be described, in order that others might see that such feelings are not necessarily inconsistent with true religion, and do not prove that even such a sufferer is not a child of God. It is probable that this psalm was designed to illustrate what may occur when disease is such as to produce deep mental darkness and sorrow. And the Book of Psalms would have been incomplete for the use of the church, if there had not been at least one such psalm in the collection” (Albert Barns).
Magnify! 