Psalms 88:1

Psalms 88:1 says, A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.  There is a long introduction and dedication, then verse one says, O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:  Heman called God the God of his salvation, and then said he cried day and night before Him.  As followers of Christ, God is the God of our salvation, and we should pray to Him night and day, or continually.  Verse two adds, Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;  As Christians, we need to understand that God always hears our earnest prayers.  He also answers them in the best way possible.  Verse three continues, For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.  The psalmist asked God to hear his prayers because his life was full of trouble and he felt that he was close to dying.  Life may not always seem fair to us today as followers of Christ and it may seem that all we have is trouble in our life, but we need to remember that through our faith in Jesus Christ that God has already given us everlasting victory.  Verse four states, I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:  Heman, a very good and wise man according to Matthew Henry, felt that he was without strength and doomed like those who go down into the pit.  We need never feel that way as Christians.  Because of God's salvation given to us through faith in Christ, we shoulad never be in despair.  Verse five adds, Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.  Heman said he felt he was no better than a dead man, who God would no longer remember, even though he had declared God the God of his salvation.  We, as Christians, should never feel this way, no matter how bead things get in life.  Verse six continues, Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.  Heman said God had placed him in the deepest pit, but it was really his lack of faith that put him there.  As long as we maintain our faith in Christ, we should never feel that God has put us in a place where we are without hope, even if we are suffering in life.  Verse seven says, Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.  Once more, Heman attributes his suffering to God.  God is never going to directly cause our suffering if we are followers of Christ, but He may allow us to suffer for our faith.  We must simply remain faithful to Him without questioning His love and mercy.  Verse eight adds, Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.  Heman said God had shut him away from his acquaintances and made him an abomination to them.  God never removes us from our brothers and sisters in Christ, and if He removes those who aren't from our life, it is for our own good.  Verse nine states, Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.  Heman said he mourned because he had cried out to God daily but believed that God had not heard him.  Even if we feel that God has not heard us because whatever we are praying about has not changed, He always hears the prayers of those who believe in and put their faith in Him.  Verse ten asks, Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.  One day, God will indeed show the wonder of resurrection to everlasting life to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and who have died.  This life is not the end.