The title of this Psalm identifies its author as Heman the Ezrahite. Often regarded as the most sorrowful of all prayer songs, this Psalm has brought comfort and restored hope to many during their darkest times. However, Heman, the son of Joel, didn’t turn to God only in moments of despair—he was consistently devoted to God, serving as a worshiper appointed by the king to give thanks continually (1 Chronicles 16:41).
While many of our prayers tend to be filled with complaints, this Psalm takes a different approach. It is a reflective meditation in which the author revisits the path of his life. It portrays how, even for those who walk closely with God, inner struggles and deep sorrow can persist. Yet, what makes this Psalm especially powerful is that the author does not allow that inner anguish to consume him. Instead, he chooses to bring that voice of sorrow before God, trusting in Him as his Savior.
This is where many falter—they allow the voice of despair to steer their lives. But Heman shows us a better way: to turn that voice toward God and let our Savior guide us through the pain.
A Feeling Of Being Abandoned By God
LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you.
May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.
I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. 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. – Psalm 88:1-5 (NIV)
The psalmist brought all his burdens before God, thoughtfully reflecting on his struggles in God’s presence. Without the first two verses, this Psalm might have seemed like nothing more than a lament without hope. But those opening lines offer a key insight—they show the comfort found in turning to God with the inner voices that make us question His existence. While the world may insist there is no God or claim that He has abandoned us, Heman’s Psalm stands as a personal testimony, urging all of God’s children to make this their own experience as well.
Though overwhelmed by troubles—perhaps even facing the threat of eternal separation from God due to sin—Heman still called upon the name of the Lord, trusting Him as Saviour. In contrast, Judas Iscariot, burdened by guilt, could not cry out to God and was ultimately led by the devil to destruction. When our failures and guilt make us hesitate to turn to our Heavenly Father, we must resist that fear.
God is always ready to receive us because He gave His Son as a sacrifice to redeem us from the grip of the enemy. The enemy, however, thrives on keeping us trapped in guilt. With this assurance, we must learn to face and examine the dark emotions sown by the enemy, refusing to let them suffocate our spirit or keep us from the presence of God.
A Constant Prayer
You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you. – Psalm 88:6-9 (NIV)
We don’t know much about Jonah’s friends, but we do know that he was hesitant to walk in obedience to God. For many of us, the fallen world has become our closest companion, yet God has set us apart to spend meaningful time with Him. Sadly, instead of recognising the deep desire our Father has for us, we often chase after things that distance us from Him.
God patiently waits for us to come to Him, letting go of everything that hinders our relationship with Him. He calls us to lay aside the sin that entangles us and to accept the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood (Hebrews 12:1). When we become too weak or spiritually blind to exercise the freedom God has given us, He may allow us to be confined—not to punish us, but to help us recognize that true freedom is found in calling on His name.
Just as Jonah was confined in the belly of a great fish and yet kept alive by God’s mercy, so too does God preserve our lives, even in our spiritually infected state, to lead us into eternal life. Often, it’s in moments of distress that we are stirred to call on God. But this Psalm encourages us to reach out to Him at all times—lifting our hands, not just in desperation, but in constant devotion.
If we wait for hardship to remind us to seek the Lord, we may find ourselves too overwhelmed to respond when the time comes. That’s why it’s essential to call on Him continually—in joy or sorrow, in health or sickness, whether or not we feel forgiven. This same principle applies to reading His Word. Whether we fully understand it or not, we must remain faithful in reading it, because His Word is the only source of true life.
Places Of Darkness
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me? – Psalm 88:10-14 (NIV)
We all know the truth—Jesus has conquered death. Yet, even with this knowledge, we often limit God’s presence to certain “sacred” spaces and treat other places as if they are completely overtaken by the power of the devil. We pray to our Almighty Creator, asking Him to break the strongholds of darkness in areas we’ve assumed are beyond His reach.
For Heman, it was unimaginable that God’s love could extend into the grave. This belief was so deeply rooted in people’s minds that God chose to make a powerful statement—He sent His love and compassion into the tomb of Lazarus and brought him back to life. Later, the Holy Spirit breathed life into Jesus’ lifeless body, triumphing over death once and for all. Still, people tend to exaggerate the power of darkness, assuming there are spaces outside of God’s rule.
Sadly, many have misunderstood this truth. Recognising the vulnerability of believers in this area, some spiritual leaders kept people trapped in fear, claiming to represent God while keeping His followers in spiritual darkness. Yet, the very heart of God’s calling is to bring His people out of that darkness.
As Isaiah 9:2 says: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” God, who is light, did not remain distant from the darkness. He entered into it and shone His glory from within. He is not repelled by our brokenness or unholy places; instead, He steps into them to redeem and restore.
Thoughts like “God wouldn’t come near this place,” or “He has rejected me and hidden His face,” are emotional misconceptions that need to be addressed immediately. They are not truths to live by, but feelings to be brought before God—examined, challenged, and overcome by the light of His love.
Since My Youth
From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.
All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.
You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend. – Psalm 88:15-18 (NIV)
Most Psalms conclude with a resolution or a note of hope, but this one ends without closure. Perhaps Heman deliberately left it open, inviting us to complete it with our own personal journey and encounter with our Heavenly Father.
Many of God’s people take pride in having followed His commandments from a young age. In contrast, Heman doesn’t claim such merit. Instead, he accepts his suffering as something he is deserving of, acknowledging how often it brought him to the brink of despair. He reflects on the terrors he’s endured, contrasting them with his current state of mind. At one time, Heman saw the darkness as something to fear. But now, having run out of options, he looks to the darkness as a place where light might yet break through—a hope that even in his lowest moment, the path of the Redeemer will be made clear.
Like Heman, Job also found himself engulfed in darkness, unable to sense God’s presence. Yet he trusted that, even when he couldn’t see God, God saw him and was directing his steps (Job 23:8-10). Though our sins may create a barrier between us and God, His love and grace can pierce any darkness that tries to separate us from Him.
Heavenly Father, as Your forgiven children, we come to You burdened by emotional wounds that are fully known to You. In Your mercy, free us from distorted views of You—from feelings of abandonment or anger. Instead, help us to see clearly that Your love endures forever.
Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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