DARKNESS (Psalm 88)

Psalm 88 is considered one of the most despairing and bleak passages in the Bible with its themes of darkness, suffering, and the apparent absence of God. It is a profound expression of anguish and despair in the OT. It doesn't contain the uplifting or hopeful themes often associated with other Psalms, yet it still holds a significant place in religious discourse.

"Lord, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you" ["by day I have screamed, by night, in front of you" {Motyer}] "...darkness is my closest [best] friend" (Ps 88:1, 18).

• Can you live a life without comfort (1-9a)? Die without hope (9b-12)? Have questions without answers (13-18)?
  
• How do you live when there is no light at the end of the tunnel?
• How do you go on when you feel abandoned?
• How do you live by faith when the future seems dark and bleak?

1. Who is God to the psalmist (Ps 88:1-2)?
2. What is going on with his life (Ps 88:3-5)?
3. Who did he blame for his predicament (Ps 88:6-9)?
4. How was he treated by his friends (Ps 88:8, 18)? 
5. How did he respond to his difficult situation (Ps 88:9, 13)?
6. Was he asking God sarcastic rhetorical questions (Ps 88:10-12)? From what might he need to be saved?
7. Why did he question the Lord (Ps 88:13-14)?
8. How does he describe his life described (Ps 88:15-17)? Was he exagerrating?
9. What does Psalm 88:18 suggest about God? 

No sadder prayer in the psalms. This is an individual lament psalm where the psalmist knows nothing but sorrow. But even in the darkness of his grief he turns to God for deliverance (Ps 88:1).

Psalm 88 is a poignant, unrelenting and intense psalm of lament, expressing deep distress, despair and a profound sense of abandonment. He pours out his soul in a raw and honest prayer. He describes his overwhelming suffering, both outward and inward, his physical and emotional afflictions, and a feeling of profound darkness and of being forsaken by both God and human companions. Throughout the psalm, he pours out his anguish, questioning God's apparent absence and the purpose of his afflictions. The tone remains bleak, and the psalm concludes with a sense of isolation, loneliness, despair and darkness, making it one of the most somber and desolate psalms in the Book of Psalms. Unlike many other psalms of lament, Psalm 88 lacks a clear resolution or expression of hope, highlighting the raw and unremitting nature of the psalmist's suffering.

Outline: [Heman is mentioned 16 times: 1 Ki 4:31, 14 times in 1 and 2 Chron and in the title of Psalm 88. He is a wise, talented, respected and accomplished man.] 

• "In this psalm, Heman makes a map of his life's history. He puts down all the dark places through which he has travelled. He mentions his sins, his sorrows, his hopes (if he has any), his fears, his woes, and so on. Now that is real prayer, laying your case before the Lord." Spurgeon.
• "From beginning to end there is no trace of bitterness, no desire for revenge on enemies, no angry reflections on the goodness of God. Rather, the references to God reveal a remarkable sense of his grace and goodness." G. Campbell Morgan.
• "But go to him when your need is desperate, and all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that silence." C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed.

1. Sleepless prayer (Ps 88:1-2).
2. Prayer in darkness (Ps 88:3-9). "I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death" (3). "For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol" (esv). 
3. Unanswered prayer (Ps 88:10-18).

How to Deal with Dark Times (Psalm 88 by Tim Keller)

1. Darkness can last a long time for believing Christians. Outer (Ps 88:3-5, 8) and inner (Ps 88:15-18) darkness.
2. There's no better place to learn about the grace of God than in dark times. Sarcastic (Ps 88:10-12).
3. There's no better place to be a person of greatness than in dark times. Job 1:9.
4. Darkness can be relativised.

Be honest with God. How Hemen feels: Like dying. Like he's drowning. Abandoned. Grieving. 

How Psalm 88 points to Jesus:

1. Jesus was forsaken by his friends (Ps 88:8, 18a; Mt 26:56; Lk 23:49).

2. Jesus felt God's anger/wrath/terror on the cross (Ps 88:7, 16).

3. Jesus is the answer to the question (Ps 88:10).

4. Jesus experienced the deepest darkness (Ps 88:18).

1. Keller. 2015.  The darkest depths (1-9). Satan defeated (10-18).
2. Kidner. 1975. Psalm 88: The Darkness Deepens.
1. Sleepless entreaty (Ps 88:1-2).
2. Encroaching shadows (Ps 88:3-9).
3. Unanswered cry (Ps 88:10-18).
3. Motyer. 2016. Psalm 88: Darkness without Light; Trust without Hope.
• A1. ["I"] Persistent prayer when life ends without hope (Ps 88:1-5).
• B1. ["You"] Friendless, under wrath (Ps 88:6-9).
• A2. ["I"] Persistent prayer facing death without hope (Ps 88:10-12).
• B2. ["You"] Friendless, under wrath (Ps 88:13-18).
4. Longman III & Garland. Psalms. 2008. Psalm 88. A Prayer in the Darkness of Despair.
• A. Prayer for Help (Ps 88:1-2).
• B. The Experience of Dying in Life (Ps 88:3-5).
• A'. Prayer for Help (Ps 88:9-12).
• C. It is the Lord's Doing (Ps 88:6-9a).
• C'. It is the Lord's Doing (Ps 88:13-14).
• B'. The Experience of Dying (Ps 88:15-18).
5. Titles: A Cry of Pain and Sorrow. A Sermon for Sufferers.
6. Affliction, Adversity, Anxiety and Anguish is Good for Me.

1. Sleepless prayer (88:1-2, 9, 13).
2. Encroaching darkness (88:3-9).
1. Life ending without hope (88:3-5).
2. Under God's wrath (88:6-9, 16).
3. Facing the future without hope (88:10-12).
4. Darkness is my only friend (88:13-18).

• "Psalm 88 teaches us that it's okay to be honest with God about our pain and suffering. We don't have to pretend that everything is okay when it's not. God can handle our doubts, our questions, and our despair." Matthew Henry.
• "This is a Psalm full of darkness, yet it is a voice of the Church in trouble. There is a confession of sins in this Psalm, but it is not followed by any joyful expectation of forgiveness or deliverance." Luther.
• "In Psalm 88, the writer refuses to bow to the divine abandonment. He refuses to accept that even in God's absence, he is alone. In this refusal, he gives voice to the desperation of the human soul and reminds us that faith does not always come with easy answers or quick relief." - Barbara Brown Taylor, Episcopal priest.
• "Psalm 88 teaches us that the life of faith does not guarantee an escape from the deepest darkness. The psalmist cries out to God from the depths of despair, modeling for us how to pour out our hearts to God even in our darkest moments." "Psalm 88 is a reminder that the life of faith does not always bring instant deliverance from suffering. It's a raw expression of pain, doubt, and longing, showing us that it's okay to wrestle with God, to pour out our hearts in lament when we feel abandoned or overwhelmed." - Timothy Keller
• "Psalm 88 teaches us that the absence of an immediate divine response does not equate to divine abandonment. Even in the darkest of nights, when it seems God is silent, our cries do not fall on deaf ears. God is present in our pain, even when we cannot sense His presence." - Eugene Peterson
• "Psalm 88 is a stark reminder that faith does not guarantee immunity from suffering. It invites us to embrace the reality of our human experience, to lament without shame, and to trust that even in the depths of despair, God is still at work, holding us in His unfailing love." - Henri Nouwen
• "The darkness of Psalm 88 confronts us with the harsh reality of the human condition: suffering, abandonment, and unanswered prayers. Yet, even in the midst of despair, the psalmist clings to God, refusing to let go of hope. This is the paradox of faith - to hold on to God's promises even when they seem distant or elusive." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
• "This Psalm is not only dark and distressing, but it also shows the depth of the soul’s agony and grief. However, it is not to be regarded simply as a complaint, but as a calm and clear confession of his sins, and an earnest prayer for pardon." Calvin.
• "Psalm 88 is a powerful reminder that authentic spirituality includes the capacity to wrestle with doubt and despair. It challenges us to move beyond superficial expressions of faith and embrace the messy, honest cries of the soul. In the midst of our darkest moments, God invites us to bring our pain to Him, trusting that He hears and cares." - Richard Rohr.
• "Psalm 88 shows us that even the most faithful servants of God can experience deep despair. It's a reminder that we live in a fallen world where suffering is inevitable, but it's also a reminder that God is with us in the midst of our suffering." CS Lewis.
• "In the night of my trouble I cannot refrain from making my moan unto the Lord, my harp hangs upon the willows, but my soul is more cast down than my music, my spirit would faint if it were not upheld by the hand of the Lord. Night and day I am shut up in this dark room of sorrow; I count the long hours, and wonder when the light will come. There is no light at present, nor hope of any." Spurgeon.

These quotes engage with the themes of Psalm 88 and its implications for faith and suffering.