Psalm 88:1-18
The Psalmist is really ‘down in the dumps’. He feels like he is ‘in the depths of the Pit”, He feels like he is ‘in the darkest depths’(6). This is the way he feels, but he has not stopped praying - ‘O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before You... I call to You, O Lord, every day... I cry to You for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You’(1,9,13). His prayer doesn’t make pleasant reading: ‘My soul is full of trouble... I am like a man without strength... Your wrath lies heavily upon me... the darkness is my closest friend’(3-4,7,18). How can we be helped when we feel like this? We can be helped by Jesus. He knows what it feels like. For us, He has entered the ‘darkness’- ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’. For us, He has triumphed - ‘risen from the dead’(Matthew 27:45-46; 28:5-7).
Psalm 89:1-37
‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness through all generations’(1). Many years have passed since these words were written by the Psalmist. Many generations have come and gone since Jesus Christ came to our world. The years come and go. The centuries run their course. One generation gives way to another generation. Time moves on relentlessly. None of us can halt the march of time. Many changes have taken place over the course of time. There is something which must never change. The Lord is to be praised ‘for ever’. He is to be praised ‘through all generations’. We must look back and remember. Jesus Christ was crucified for us. Jesus Christ has risen for us. This is the Good News which inspires our praise: ‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever...’.
The Psalmist is really ‘down in the dumps’. He feels like he is ‘in the depths of the Pit”, He feels like he is ‘in the darkest depths’(6). This is the way he feels, but he has not stopped praying - ‘O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before You... I call to You, O Lord, every day... I cry to You for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You’(1,9,13). His prayer doesn’t make pleasant reading: ‘My soul is full of trouble... I am like a man without strength... Your wrath lies heavily upon me... the darkness is my closest friend’(3-4,7,18). How can we be helped when we feel like this? We can be helped by Jesus. He knows what it feels like. For us, He has entered the ‘darkness’- ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’. For us, He has triumphed - ‘risen from the dead’(Matthew 27:45-46; 28:5-7).
Psalm 89:1-37
‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness through all generations’(1). Many years have passed since these words were written by the Psalmist. Many generations have come and gone since Jesus Christ came to our world. The years come and go. The centuries run their course. One generation gives way to another generation. Time moves on relentlessly. None of us can halt the march of time. Many changes have taken place over the course of time. There is something which must never change. The Lord is to be praised ‘for ever’. He is to be praised ‘through all generations’. We must look back and remember. Jesus Christ was crucified for us. Jesus Christ has risen for us. This is the Good News which inspires our praise: ‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever...’.
