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Day 312

Psalm 88:15a "I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth..."

Day 312 – Psalm 88

“I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth…” Psalm 88:15a

TRACES OF JEREMIAH

Heman the Ezrahite seemed to be aware of Jeremiah’s Book (Lamentations). The following words Heman wrote are reminiscent of Jeremiah’s Lamentations (Lamentations 3).

“I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;
I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught.”
Psalm 88:15

1. “I have been afflicted”

a) We are not able to ascertain what Heman went through.
b) It might well be the afflictions that came when the Babylonians conquered Judah.
c) Many were afflicted.
d) Hardly anyone was spared.

2. “Ready to die from my youth”

a) Life was always uncertain in wartimes.
b) Even young people were not spared from an untimely death at the hands of wicked conquerors.
c) The only way to survive was to be ready to die at any time.
d) This was a terrible frame of mind to have.
e) It would have terrific repercussions.

3. “I suffer Your terrors”

a) Terror was felt.
b) Suffering came together with terror.
c) It felt as if God had purposely allowed these terrors to be felt.

4. “I am distraught”

a) This was the honest feeling of Heman expressed candidly.
b) He felt no peace in his heart and mind. The word “distraught” well captured his state of mind.