The Bummer Psalm (Oh, This Is A Good One!)

Psalm 88, found in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, seems to not fit in with the rest of the Psalms. In fact, I don't recall ever hearing any teaching or sermon on it. It is indeed a "Bummer Psalm."

Could it be that this "Bummer Psalm" could be the basis for an unprecedented revival among God's people today? I believe it very possibly could be... if we will receive it.

Psalm 88 can be rightfully called the "Bummer Psalm" because it speaks of all manner of trouble. All the troubles of Psalm 88 are encapsulated into one conclusion found in verse 14:

O LORD, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? [Psalm 88.14]

Why indeed.

Here are some important facts associated with Psalm 88. Psalm 88 is noted to be "a Psalm of the descendants of Korah." This name should ring a bell in our memory because it is associated with a terrible rebellion in the time of Moses (Numbers 16). Rebellion brings suffering (Deuteronomy 28.15-68). The song therefore of the descendants of Korah (Psalm 88) would indeed be one of suffering and trouble.

Moses represented the authority of God's Word in his day. The authority of God's Word in Moses' day could be summed up in the Ten Commandments. Korah's rebellion, as pointed out by Moses, was an offense against God Himself (Numbers 16.11). Korah's offense was against God, and therefore His Word. 

The pride evident in Korah and his co-conspirators against God and His Word is one and the same as the pride incited by Satan from Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden ("Did God really say...?" [Genesis 3.1]). This pride is the very foundation of idolatry so naturally it elicits a severe, even generational, response from God Who will not tolerate idolatry:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

It is highly significant then that Jesus quoted Psalm 88.14 on the Cross:

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” [Matthew 27.46]

Jesus, just like His Father God, never asked a question He did not already know the answer to - not even on the Cross. Amidst all the pain of crucifixion, Jesus purposefully and intentionally cited Psalm 88.14 to forever associate pride and its idolatry as the reason for His being hung on the Cross, so that all who heard Him with their ears and all who would hear Him for generations to come through the written record of His words, might understand that He suffered once and for all the penalty for the sin of pride and its idolatry against God. Quoting Psalm 88.14 confirmed it.

However, in the three years of ministry leading up to His Cross event, Jesus was adamant that His followers must "follow Him" in word and deed. There are many New Testament references to confirm this, but none so clearly articulated as this:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

To "give up your own way" is to reject pride and its idolatry. It is, in fact, to defer only to God's Word particularly as is demanded by the first three "Godward" Commandments. Unironically, to "take up your cross" is to defer to others as is demanded by the last six "manward" Commandments.

In conclusion, if Psalm 88 strikes a chord with us, it is for a reason. That reason, like for the Psalmist who wrote it, is for us to question, O LORD, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? This question, in all Biblical accuracy, will always lead us to the answer of pride and its idolatry. It will always lead us to the fact that we must give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.

Father, my Psalm 88 troubles tell of my pride and idolatry... and worse, of rejecting Jesus. May I give up the pride and idolatry of my own way - the way of the world - and throw myself upon my cross - the way of putting others first - and follow Jesus. So be it.

Psalm 88

Psalm 88

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.

2 Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry.

3 For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near.

4 I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left.

5 They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care.

6 You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths.

7 Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me.

8 You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape.

9     My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy.

10 Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you?

11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?

12 Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?

13 O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day.

14 O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me?

15 I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.

16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me.

17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely.

18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.

Wow, Where does one go from here? We are not told from the context of this scripture. So, the best we can do is look at the rest of the Bible for help in knowing what Psalm 88 is about.

The Psalmist here is discussing terrible troubles. Where do terrible troubles come from? They originate with disobedience - they are curses applied on the disobedient.

Okay, so troubles come from disobedience. What do troubles say to the one who is troubled?  REPENT.

Father, in my troubles today, I make one conclusion: I need to repent. And, so I do - please forgive me for the nasty Godless things in my life that betray me by bringing curses upon me. Forgive me as well for  faithlessness to Jesus and His redemption on my behalf that is equally obvious in my troubled state of being. I can cry out for mercy from You, but I know Your Way is Jesus - so instead of crying out for mercy, I cry out "Jesus!"