Psalm 88: The Winter of the Soul

(Image courtesy of birdsandblooms.com.)

(Author’s note: I encourage you to open your Bible to Psalm 88, read it, and then read this article with your Bible still open.)

During the winter season, sunlight dims and darkens; temperatures drop and winds howl; and precipitation comes in the form of ice. The whole world seems frozen and dead.

There is a psalm in the Bible that is known as the most depressing Psalm. In it, the author feels deserted, desperate, as good as dead, and by the end he is in no better place than where he began.

The Psalter (the collection of Psalms in the Bible) was meant to be sung in temple worship by the Jews. What is remarkable to me is that, presumably, Psalm 88 – that most depressing of all psalms – was written to be sung during temple worship. This song that ends with no hope and no answer from Yahweh was sung to the Lord by his people, to his praise and glory, and for the edification of the saints.

One obvious question begs to be asked: why? Of all the great psalms of the Psalter, of all the marvelous songs extolling the majesty and worth of Yahweh, why would Psalm 88 be included in the selection of praise songs?

Clearly, Psalm 88 is a song. The manuscripts include an introduction: “A song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. To the Choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.” We learn the following from this preface: a Choirmaster was to lead the people in worship using this most hopeless song, and apparently it was written by a man named Heman the Ezrahite.

But we know very little, if anything, about Heman the Ezrahite and why he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write such a psalm. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter what we know about him. He may have felt what this psalm sings about: desperately crying out to God for help, but receiving no answer; feeling as hopeless as one in the grave; deserted by all his friends; feeling cast off by the One to whom he is calling for help. But he also may have known a friend who was experiencing this sort of winter of his soul. Perhaps his friend had lost a loved one suddenly; perhaps his friend was receiving persecution at the hands of his enemies; or perhaps his friend was experiencing anxiety, fear, or worry. Whatever the circumstance, we can all relate to the author’s script on some level.

And that’s part of the wonder and mystery of this psalm: the Author was the Holy Spirit. Yes, Heman the Ezrahite penned it, but in 1 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul informs us that all Scripture has been breathed out by God. Therefore, Psalm 88 is ultimately written by the Spirit for some good reason.

Psalm 88 reminds me of what Jesus felt at the time of his crucifixion. Jesus “cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabacthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus, quoting Psalm 22, relates himself to the character of Psalm 88 who cries out day and night – with no reply.

Jesus himself was “full of troubles” on the cross. Jesus was “counted among those who go down to the pit.” Jesus experienced the pain of betrayal: “You have caused my companions to shun me.” Jesus truly felt forgotten on the cross by his Father.

Truly, Jesus experienced the punishment of God on the cross: “Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me.”

And when Jesus was laid into the tomb, he experienced Psalm 88:18: “darkness has become my only companion.” This is the last verse of Psalm 88. In verse one, the Psalmist says, “O Yahweh, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you!” By the last verse, he has still heard no answer to his cries for help.

He has been deserted in his most desperate hour, left without an answer. He has been frozen in the dead of the coldest, darkest winter of his soul.

Of course, we do know that Jesus doesn’t stay in the grave; he rises again. But that’s not what Psalm 88 makes us think of. Psalm 88 ends with no hope, only the darkness of no answer to our cries for help.

And this song was sung to the worship of God and the instruction of the people. Huh.

Making the connections between Jesus and Psalm 88 is crucial. In Hebrews, Paul tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” To say that Jesus relates to the experience of Psalm 88 is an understatement. He not only can relate, he has literally experienced Psalm 88 is in his flesh and blood, in every cell of his body.

He knows, dear saint; he knows.

Jesus knows the pain you have experienced, are experiencing, and will experience in this life.

Jesus knows the hopelessness you have felt, are feeling, and will feel.

Jesus knows exactly what it is like to be deserted, desperate, left in the cold without an answer.

Jesus also knows what even the Psalmist knew: that the Sovereign hand of Almighty, Creator-God has lovingly, knowingly, and masterfully placed you in the experience of Psalm 88: “You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them.”

What?! Why would God place me in a hopeless situation? Why would God leave me “unread”? Why would God desert me when I needed him most? Why?

Are you ready for this? God placed you there because he wants you to know what you would never know if he hadn’t placed you there.

There is no resurrection without death. There is no answer without a cry. There is no spring without winter.

The truth is, in the darkness of all Christ experienced, just like what the Psalmist experienced, Jesus knew his only hope was God. “O LORD, God of my salvation” the singer faintly cries in verse one. The Psalmist knows Yahweh is his only hope, even though he feels overwhelmed and hopeless. Even though there is no answer yet, he knows Yahweh will answer. There is no one else with the power and strength to deliver someone from the clutches of such despair apart from Yahweh.

Remember, it took three days for Jesus to rise again.

When Psalm 88 was sung in the assembly, I can imagine weeping from the saints, humbling falling on their knees before the God who knows and the God who saves. Just because there’s no answer yet, don’t lose heart.

That’s why, I think, Psalm 88 was included in the Psalter, and why I think the Spirit of God breathed it out in the first place.

Christ identified with us in all of our human experiences in order to bring the “God of my salvation” to bear upon our souls and lives. Psalm 88 hits us where we are in order to bring us where only Christ can take us.

These winter months will drag on for a while longer. Spring has not answered yet; but it will come.