NO RELIEF IN SIGHT

Psalm 88

For my soul is full of troubles.

Walking with the Lord is more fulfilling than anything this world offers. But nowhere does the Bible say that God’s people are exempt from physical pain or even great mental and spiritual darkness.

The great preacher C. H. Spurgeon frequently fell into deep depression. Arnold Dallimore wrote, "What he suffered in those times of darkness we may not know…even his desperate calling on God brought no relief. ‘There are dungeons,’ he said, ‘beneath the castles of despair.’"

Psalm 88, written by a godly man named Herman, stands alone in the psalter for it’s unrelenting sorrow and gloom. Unlike David, whose despair usually gave way to hope, Herman’s psalm ends with the word darkness. How can such a woeful psalm encourage us? First, it confirms that God’s people may undergo great spiritual misery. Second, it shows the way out. Herman poured out his anguish to God even though no answer came. Some Bible scholars see in his agony a parallel to Christ's. We know that when He bore our sin He was actually forsaken by God. He died in our place. Therefore, we who trust Him will never be abandoned. God promises that deliverance is certain, even when there is no relief in sight.

When sorrows assail us or terrors draw nigh, His love will not fail for us, He’ll guide with His eyes; and when we are fainting and ready to fail, He’ll give what is wanting and make us prevail.