April 21, 2011

Psalm 88 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:
Mark 7:1-13, 1 Corinthians 12:1-13, Judges 14-15

Journal Entry

Scripture

13 But I, O Lord, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why do you cast my soul away?
Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. [3]
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your dreadful assaults destroy me.
17 They surround me like a flood all day long;
they close in on me together.
18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.

Observation

Psalm 88 mostly details the Psalmist's despair in being overwhelmed by troubles. The Psalmist describes the feeling of being forsaken by God, of being alone and ignored. He alludes to not only being ignored by God but of even being the object of His anger as he mentions in verse 16. Overall, the Psalm is disconcerting in that most people are used to reading about God being benevolent and caring. He may smite our enemies in anger but is a loving father to us. Rarely do we see God as an angry and vengeful entity towards the people he loves.

Application

As we approach Good Friday, this passage reminds me of Jesus' lament on the cross when he cried "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me" as he experienced a full separation from God as part of his suffering. Psalm 88 is an insight into what Jesus might have felt as the burden of the world's sin was placed upon him during the Crucifixion. Being abandoned by God is a frightful thing yet it is something that Jesus suffered so that we would not have to.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that you have lifted the burden of sin from our shoulders and placed it upon yours. I also thank you that no matter what manner of hardship I may go through, I know that you have gone through worse and that I can always turn to you for comfort.

--Charlie Jang