Psalm 88 - God is far too loving to be cruel

In the title, Psalm 88 tells us that it is designated to the sons of Korah. It’s called a song written to the choir director or the chief musician. The term “Mahalath Leannoth” was probably a tune that this song was set in or an instrument used to play this song. This is also a maskil of Heman of Ezrahite, who was a musician from the family of the Kohathites.

This is probably the saddest Psalm, one which lamented form start to end. In most Psalms we find a reprieve but not for this one. There is not a trace or an iota of hope.  The author could have experienced an unexplanable tragedy. To compound the sadness was the fact that the Psalmist had prayed and brought his case before the Lord, yet heaven seemed to be silent and unremitting. In verses 1-2, the Psalmist incessantly pleaded with God day and night. He had cried out asking God to incline His ear toward him but all, it seemed, to no avail. He lamented and described his condition in verses 3-9 and again in verses 15-18. In between these two laments, he expressed in a series of rhetorical questions that he could only praise Him while he was alive. He reckoned that death would end his capacity to praise Him.  In other words, his death would serve no purpose.

The Psalmist even revealed that from youth he had been afflicted. He lamented that God did not hear his appeal for good health. He had no clue why God did not hear his cries. Perhaps God was angry with him and he didn’t have a clue about where he had gone wrong. He knew no reason for God to be angry. But we do get a glimpse that despite his trouble and trials, the psalmist insistently came to God, indicating he continued to have an underlying trust in God.

Reading this Psalm can drive us into a state of melancholy. It has no intention to do that but to make known that even believers could have their low moments. Some troubles may even seem life long and unbearable. They are just death casting a shadow in our life.  Psalm 23 tells us that even then our Great Shepherd “...walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death.” No one can understand why certain hardship must be experienced, but God is too gracious and loving to be cruel, and too deep to explain Himself. But we will understand it by and by.  

Laura Story, the singer, wrote a song entitled Blessings, while her husband was battling brain tumour and hospitalized. Here’s what she said: “It's devastating when we don't see God's answers to our prayers. ‘We cry in anger when we cannot feel You (God) near.’ What if the very thing that is best for us isn't the same as what we're praying for? All the while, God hears each spoken need. He loves us way too much to give us lesser things. God is watching over always, directing every moment we experience. So if He isn't answering our prayers how we think He should, does that mean He isn't answering? Or could it be something else? Could it possibly be that He's really blessing us? But through it all, the pain reminds this heart that this is not our home.” We know our lives here on earth are only temporary and our real home is heaven. So, it’s possible that the pain has a purpose. “What if the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise?”