The Depths of Despair

Despair of ever being saved, “except thou be born again,” or of seeing God “without holiness,” or of having a part in Christ except thou “love Him above father, mother, or thy own life.” This kind of despair is one of the first steps to heaven. … More

Despair

This Psalm is acknowledged by many as one of the saddest of all the psalms and some have declared it as “a cry of hopeless despair.” It is a prayer for when you can’t seem to find the way. The key to under-standing it is to picture the writer as a leper who is suffering from a loathsome, disfiguring, and dreadful disease which has afflicted him from childhood. It could be described as life in the pits. It is the poetic groan of a man in extreme agony. There is scarcely a glimmer of hope anywhere; it is filled with dejection, despair and death. The psalmist lamented the terrible and fierce affliction that had brought him to the point of death. Yet he prayed steadfastly to the Lord day and night, basing his appeal on the fact that he would be useless to the Lord in the grave. The situation of the psalmist can be divided into four parts:

1.   No future left (vv. 88:1-7) - The circumstances of life are closing  in on the psalmist.

A.  A despondent cry (v. 1) - When prayer seems hopeless  because nothing is changed.

       B.  A despairing cry (v. 2) - It is a time of intense emotion.

C.  A desperate cry (vv. 3-7) - He was weak, wretched and  full of  wrongfulness.

2.   No friends left (v. 8) He was separated from his friends and    only had the Lord to go to.

3.   No foundation left (vv. 9-12) He was like a man being      swallowed up in quick sand.

      A.  He demonstrates a hopeless attitude (v. 9).

      B.  He has a hopeless appeal (vv. 10-12).

4.   No faith left (vv. 13-18)

      A.  He feels forsaken (vv. 13-14)

      B.  He is fearful (vv. 15-17)

      C.  His is friendless (v. 18)

When it seemed that God had not done anything to rescue the psalmist from his terrible situation his faith rested in God’s coming salvation. This came as he prayed each morning to the Lord.

Application

When was the last time you experienced life in the pits? Did you think about the fact that God was right there with you? Suffering sours some souls; it sweetens others. Lord, help me to think of someone I know that is especially lonely and could use some encouragement today?

Psalms 88:1-18 (English Standard Version)


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