881 A Song, a Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the chief Musician. Upon Mahalath Leannoth. An instruction. Of Heman the Ezrahite. Jehovah, God of my salvation, I have cried by day [and] in the night before thee. 2 Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry. 3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh to Sheol. 4 I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength: 5 Prostrate among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand. 6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps. 7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. Selah. 8 Thou hast put my familiar friends far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. 9 Mine eye consumeth by reason of affliction. Upon thee, Jehovah, have I called every day; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 88:1-9
Commentary on Psalm 88:1-9
(Read Psalm 88:1-9)
The first words of the psalmist are the only words of comfort and support in this psalm. Thus greatly may good men be afflicted, and such dismal thoughts may they have about their afflictions, and such dark conclusion may they make about their end, through the power of melancholy and the weakness of faith. He complained most of God's displeasure. Even the children of God's love may sometimes think themselves children of wrath and no outward trouble can be so hard upon them as that. Probably the psalmist described his own case, yet he leads to Christ. Thus are we called to look unto Jesus, wounded and bruised for our iniquities. But the wrath of God poured the greatest bitterness into his cup. This weighed him down into darkness and the deep.