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ARE YOU HAVING ONE OF THOSE DAYS? (Psalm 88)

Are you having “one of those days”? We all have them.

Some time ago, someone asked me, “Do you ever have a bad day?”

“Of course I do,” I said laughing. “We all do.”

“Well, I never see you posting negative things on social media or talking negatively.”

I told this person that it was because I made up my mind early on not to air all of that in front of everyone else. I would just talk to God about it. People cannot help me during those moments; only God can.

When you are having one of those days, the best thing you can do is go to God with it. That is exactly what the psalmist did in Psalm 88.

At first glance, it might not be one of your favorites. It is a dark note or a minor chord, if you will. Whoever this psalmist was and whatever he was dealing with, he was having one of those days.

Verses 1-4: “O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength.”

The words “no strength” caught my attention. This man was at the bottom, full of trouble and empty of strength.

Verses 5-7: “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. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.”

Are you encouraged yet? This is rough. He was having such a hard time that he thought he was going to die. Have you ever been there?

Verse 8: “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.”

Not only was he having a hard time, but no one was there to help him. One of the worst circumstances you can find yourself in is to have affliction and be alone — no one knows, no one understands, no one cares, and there is no one to talk to. That is where the psalmist was.

Verses 9-12: “Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?”

Do you see how he was reasoning with God? “Are You going to let me die? If I die, I cannot praise You. How will that bring You glory?”

Verses 13-15: “But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.”

What a verse. Affliction, suffering, distraction. Are you having one of those days?

Verses 16-18: “Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.”

That is the final word of Psalm 88. Darkness.

I don’t know about you, but I am somewhat encouraged to know that even inspired psalmists writing holy scripture had their difficult days. Sometimes we look at certain people and think they have it all together, with no difficulty ever. That is not true of any of us. According to Job 14:1, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”

Everybody has one of those days. So the question is, what will we do on those days? Here are a few simple applications from observing this psalm.

Pray.

It seems fairly obvious, but that is the emphasis here. Psalm 88 is a prayer. It begins in verse 1 with, “I have cried day and night before thee.”

Aren’t you glad we have a God we can talk to at any time? I get annoyed from time to time when I call a place of business only to find that they are not open, and I must call back during certain hours. But God said in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” His line is always open; you can call day and night.

Verse 9 includes the word “daily.” You can call on Him any time, but you can also call on Him every day. In fact, you should.

This word appears often in the psalms, and a few times in Psalm 88. Verse 17 refers to the enemies who “came round about me daily like water.” Daily battles require daily prayer.

Verse 13 says, “… in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.” If we can get with God first thing and bring our petitions to Him, it will help us draw strength for the day. Don’t wait until later in the day when things are really difficult to begin praying. Before you even get up, stretch yourself out and let your bed be an altar. “Lord, thank You for giving me this day. I give it back to You.”

Sing.

The title of Psalm 88 includes the word “song.” Some psalms were not meant to be sung, but this one was.

You might think, “Well, it must have been a sad tune.” Perhaps. But I want to remind you that God’s people can sing on every occasion. We are instructed in I Thessalonians 5:16 and 18 to “rejoice evermore” and “in every thing give thanks.”

I love the story of Billy Bray, a drunkard who was wonderfully saved and began to serve the Lord. He was so full of enthusiasm about God that he would say, “I’m not mad; I’m glad” and “I’d rather be a shouter than a doubter.” He was always giving God glory and praise.

Learn.

Psalm 88 is one of 13 Psalms of Instruction. Every day, God has something He is trying to teach us. In the weakness and weariness of everyday life, God often has a great lesson. It is in the dark moments that He teaches us the greatest truths.

Darkness is often the Lord’s chosen classroom because His light shines through.

Let me challenge you to pray, sing, and learn when you are having one of those days. If you do that, it will allow the dark days in your life to be used for your good and His glory.

May the Lord help us all to make this day count for Him.