Psalm 88
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."
(MARK 1:35)
If you want to know what it was like when Jesus walked the paths around Galilee, get up at sunrise. While the stars still shine, before the cars start and people begin to stir, you can hear the sparrows sing. This was the time of day when Jesus was praying on the northwest side of the lake, probably near a natural stone grotto. The cold bites as the winter rains subside; to the east the Golan Heights glow pink.
Jesus' prayers from here amidst the purple iris, yellow mustard and roses of Sharon are not recorded. When I was praying in this same spot, I was surprised by how suddenly the light comes. The early sun pierces down on the region where most of Jesus' ministry took place before the first Easter. Later He would pray the high priestly prayer recorded in John 17. As that night wore on, He would beg His disciples to join Him for prayer in a garden overlooking the City of David. In His final moments on the cross, He would pray, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
INSIGHT
"DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER, BEING WATCHFUL AND THANKFUL."
(COLOSSIANS 4:2)
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 3-4
Psalm 62
John 2-3
Psalm 88[a]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d]
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction[e]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
b. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
c. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
d. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
e. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon
GIVE THEM GRACE
with Elyse Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson
There are two ways to live. We all default to control and fear, but by the grace of Jesus Christ it is possible to live by trust and hope. This is a program of powerful encouragement!
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