Psalm 88 3

Psalm 88:3 kjv

For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

Psalm 88:3 nkjv

For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draws near to the grave.

Psalm 88:3 niv

I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death.

Psalm 88:3 esv

For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.

Psalm 88:3 nlt

For my life is full of troubles,
and death draws near.

Psalm 88 verses

Psalm 88 3 Meaning

The verse graphically portrays an individual at the nadir of human suffering. The psalmist declares that his inner being, his very soul, is completely saturated and overwhelmed by "troubles"—deep afflictions, distress, and evil circumstances. This overwhelming inner torment leads to the grim realization that his physical existence, his life, is inexorably approaching Sheol, the ancient Hebrew conception of the grave or the realm of the dead, signifying not just physical death but an utter termination of active life and separation from God's presence among the living.

Psalm 88 3 Context

Psalm 88 is uniquely known as the "darkest psalm" due to its unremitting tone of suffering and the absence of any shift to hope or praise by its conclusion. It is titled "A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite." Heman, a wise figure and one of the Levitical musicians appointed by King David (1 Chron 6:33), composed this Maskil, meaning an "instruction" or "contemplation," suggesting that even profound despair can serve as a lesson. The historical context remains unspecified, which allows the psalmist's deep lament to serve as a universal expression of extreme physical and spiritual affliction, loneliness, and the feeling of divine abandonment. Unlike many other psalms of lament, it does not end with a renewed confidence in God, but rather concludes in total darkness, with the psalmist's sole companion being "darkness" itself (v.18). This verse sets the stage for such overwhelming grief, highlighting an internal state of being filled with calamities, leading to an external reality of impending doom. It subtly challenges the common understanding of divine blessing always translating to earthly prosperity, portraying righteous suffering without a visible, immediate answer.

Psalm 88 3 Word analysis

• For (כִּי, kī): A conjunctive particle introducing the reason or explanation for the psalmist's cries. It establishes the internal suffering as the foundation of his profound lament.

• my soul (נַפְשִׁי, napshî): From nefesh (נֶפֶשׁ). This term encompasses the totality of one's being, including vitality, emotions, and consciousness. Here, it signifies the very core of the psalmist's existence being affected and consumed.

• is full (שָׂבְעָה, sāḇə‘āh): From the verb śāḇaʿ (שָׂבַע), meaning "to be satisfied" or "to be satiated." Paired with "troubles," its meaning becomes "overflowing with," indicating an overwhelming saturation of distress that leaves no room for anything else.

• of troubles (רָעוֹת, rā‘ôt): The plural of raʿ (רַע), signifying "evil," "calamity," "adversity," or "distress." The plural denotes a multitude and intense variety of afflictions, indicating a composite burden of woes.

• and my life (וְחַיַּי, wəḥayyāy): From ḥayyîm (חַיִּים), meaning "life" or "existence." It refers to the psalmist's physical vitality and the span of his days, emphasizing the direct impact of his suffering on his physical being.

• draws near (הִגִּיעָה, higgîʿāh): From the root nāḡaʿ (נָגַע), meaning "to touch," "to reach," or "to arrive." It implies an unstoppable and imminent progression towards a destination, indicating that death is not a mere possibility but an encroaching certainty.

• to Sheol (לִשְׁאוֹל, liše'ôl): The Hebrew term for the abode of the dead, the grave, or the underworld. In the Old Testament, it represents a place of cessation of active life and separation from the living, signifying the ultimate end of worldly existence and the capacity for worship among the living.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "For my soul is full of troubles": This phrase graphically conveys an inner state of absolute saturation with suffering. It portrays total internal despair where the psalmist's core being is completely overwhelmed by calamity, leaving no inner space free from consuming agony.
  • "and my life draws near to Sheol": This acts as the dire consequence of the profound inner affliction. The intensity of the soul's distress is so great that it precipitates a palpable decline toward physical death. It signifies that the troubles are life-threatening, pushing the psalmist to the very brink of the grave, a place of silence and separation. The movement toward Sheol is depicted as both inevitable and imminent.

Psalm 88 3 Bonus section

• The raw honesty of Psalm 88, especially this verse, validates deep, unrelieved despair within a faith context. It ensures that such extreme human experience is not excluded from biblical expression.
• The use of "Maskil" (instruction/contemplation) in the psalm's title suggests that this portrayal of overwhelming suffering serves as a divinely intended teaching moment, demonstrating the limits of human endurance and the depths of authentic lament.
• Heman's background as a significant Levitical musician reinforces that profound suffering is not selective but can afflict even the most devout and consecrated individuals.
• The verse clearly illustrates the Hebrew concept of the holistic person, where spiritual or psychological distress (soul full of troubles) profoundly affects physical well-being (life drawing near to Sheol).
• The phrase "full of troubles" inverts the common biblical motif of being "full of days" or "full of blessing," emphasizing the dire nature of the psalmist's condition as opposed to one of contentment or prosperity.

Psalm 88 3 Commentary

Psalm 88:3 expresses the deepest form of human desolation, where the psalmist's inner being, his "soul," is entirely submerged by "troubles," resulting in a tangible sense of his "life" rapidly approaching Sheol. This verse is central to the psalm's unique, unremitting bleakness, which famously lacks any typical biblical turning point toward hope or praise. The depiction of the soul as "full" implies an absolute saturation of pain, a profound state where suffering dominates every fiber of existence. The immediate consequence, a literal drawing near to death, highlights the extreme severity of the internal crisis impacting the physical state. This poignant lament resonates universally, articulating the experience of overwhelming trials that threaten one's very being, particularly when feeling utterly abandoned by God. Though the psalm itself offers no light, this profound cry prefigures the ultimate suffering and desolation endured by Christ in Gethsemane and on the cross, who indeed experienced immense sorrow "even to death" and descended to the tomb, ultimately conquering death to offer eternal life beyond the grave.