Praying the Psalms- Psalm 88

Jenny is on a journey of praying her way through the Psalms.  I was fortunate enough to join at the start.  Each weekend, we pray through one psalm and post our prayer and/or meditations on that psalm as the Lord leads. Check out her journey and join us in Praying the Psalms.


Psalm 88
This psalm opens with the following words:

"O LORD, the God who saves me,
   day and night I cry out before you.
May my prayer come before you;
   turn your ear to my cry."  Psalm 88: 1-2 

And ends with these: 

"You have taken my companions and loved ones from me;
   the darkness is my closest friend." Psalm 88: 18

The entire psalm is an honest, heartbroken lament.  A reverent "Where Are You, God?"  There is no neat ending, no pious but empty praise here.  Just a soul poured out before Him.


As I watch my friend walk a painful road without her loved one, I am grateful for this psalm.  I am grateful to know that it is ok to lament.  He is big enough to hear our pain and to listen to the depth of our despair.  We do not have to hide it from Him, to try to pretend that we are ok when we are most definitely not.


Father, I thank You that You are big enough to handle our pain, grief and despair.  That we can cry out honestly and lay bare our souls before You.  I pray, Lord, that You do as You've promised and draw near to my friend who is brokenhearted and save her now as she is surely crushed in spirit.  Help me to minister to her in the midst of her pain and despair.  In Jesus' name, amen.