The Light that outshines Darkness

Psalms 88 (NIV)

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

¹ Lord, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
² May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
³ I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
⁴ I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
⁵ 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.
⁶ You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
⁷ Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
⁸ You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
⁹ my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
¹⁰ Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
¹¹ Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
¹² Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
¹³ But I cry to you for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
¹⁴ Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
¹⁵ From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
¹⁶ Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
¹⁷ All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
¹⁸ You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.

Have you been in a state of your life, where you have felt that you are in darkness? If so, you can resonate with the psalmist. He is clearly in lot of anguish and pain. The heading of the psalm contextually translates to "A contemplative, instructive poem written by the wise temple musician Heman, meant to be sung to a deeply sorrowful tune regarding affliction.". This shows that sorrow and destitute is not something which should stop our worship to God.

The psalmist is in deep anguish, he is broken to a point where he cannot speak positively. Even though this psalm is supposed to be poetic, in the original language of composition the poetic nature breaks towards the end. It is indicative of the shattered state of the psalmist, very similar to when we cry so hard that we gasp for breath as we speak.

In the verses 10-12 psalmist poses these six questions to God, which are rhetorical in nature. The following questions definitely layout that he is facing a situation as hopeless and dark as death.

Do you show your wonders to the dead? (v. 10a)
Do their spirits rise up and praise you? (v. 10b)
Is your love declared in the grave? (v. 11a)
[Is] your faithfulness [declared] in Destruction? (v. 11b)
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness? (v. 12a)
Or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? (v. 12b)

These questions here are NOT to question to the authority, and the might of God. It is an unfiltered cry of the psalmist to God, where he lays down his vulnerabilities. It encourages us to pray to God with the true problems as we feel. Prayers can be simple, direct and a heart to heart conversation with God.

The psalmist ends on a negative note, You have taken from me friend and neighbor, darkness is my closest friend (v. 18). The verse shows how disconnected from the safety and security of God, the psalmist must feel to end on such a note. This psalm is by far the darkest one, present in the book. Even the other psalms of lament usually express strong dependence on God, with praise when God delivers the psalmist. Psalm 88 does not have this. The presence of this Psalm in the book, shows that we can and must pray our hearts out to our God even when the state we are in does not allow us to speak good. Our God still listens to us!

There is another Psalm which ends on such a dark note, Psalm 39. It ends with "Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again before I depart and am no more.". This literally asks the Lord in despair to look in the other direction so the psalmist can at least die in peace. Very dark!

The presence of these Psalms, is not something we should shy away from. It teaches us four very important lessons in Christian living:

Darkness can be something that lasts for a long time in the life of a believing Christian.
There is no better time for us to learn about the grace of God than in dark times.
There is no better time for us to become a person of greatness than in dark times.
Darkness can be relativized.

Presence of Darkness

If we look at the Psalm, it begins with "Lord, you are the God who saves me". It is noteworthy that the psalmist trusts God as his savior. It is then implicatory that believing and walking with God does not necessarily mean that we will be not facing darkness. The idea that if we are aligned with God's plan, our lives will be comfortable and cushy is a hoax. Scriptures tell us otherwise.

In John 16:33, Jesus himself tells "... In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.". This is the most direct statement on the topic. The presence of darkness, pain, suffering in our lives does not necessarily mean we are fully responsible for them. Of course, the suffering we endure are a culmination of consequences of our actions, as well as the consequence of a fallen world that we live in due to the original sin of Adam which we all inherit.

It takes true wisdom and discernment to understand when it is our actions which cause misery and when it is not. The book of Job attacks the question of righteous people undergoing dark times. It acknowledges boldly the vivid levels of trouble Job has to go through. Daniel, Joseph, David, Jacob and so many other anointed people of God go through troubles and dark times in their lives.

David, being anointed king of Israel and still living 10-15 years as a fugitive.

Similarly Jacob, spent 20 years living in exile, got cheated by his Father in Law.

Joseph spent 13 years in slavery before rising to power. He was betrayed, falsely accused and imprisoned as well.

The Bible is very clear on one thing, that no matter how dark our suffering is, how long our suffering is. Our God is with us through this. From the beginning of the Old Testament and till New Testament, the following verses show the repeated reassuring promises of God that we are never going to be alone. It is very re-assuring that God amidst the chaos and confusion, is travelling with us. He is always in control and will not any real harm come to us. He calls for us to trust in Him.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
⁸ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Psalms 23:4 (NIV)
⁴ Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

Psalms 34:18 (NIV)
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV)
¹ But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

From Darkness to Light: Relativizing Darkness

While the psalmist in context of psalm 88 and 39 faces imminent death or a situation as grim as death. We may come across in our lives, various situations which bring us these feelings. A feeling so low, which you have not experienced before. The point to grasp here is, that whenever we experience a new low, a worse trouble than the ones we experience before our logic tends to make us think that this is absolute lowest and we are without the presence of God.

I want to draw your attention towards the endings of Psalm 88 and Psalm 39.

Comparison of Ending of Darkest Psalms with Death of Jesus

Both of these Psalms compare directly to the events surrounding the death of Jesus.

The psalmist of Psalms 88, you and me all experience darkness in our lives. However the real darkness, absolute darkness was experienced by our savior Jesus Christ on the cross. It was then when, he loved us so much that him being the light, he chose to succumb to darkness so that you and me can have hope.

The only place where God truly looks away, is when Jesus says it out loud “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. This is the moment where all powerful God actually turns away, and allows death to take the penalty of your and my sins. The true sacrificial Lamb, the only One who was spotless, was put to the cross for atonement of our sins.

Let that soak in! The darkest moment of history has already happened. The absolute darkness has been triumphed by the Light of this world, our savior Lord Jesus Christ. No matter, what may come in our lives, we live in a time where God's plan of redemption has already come into effect. There is no darkness, which can overpower the Light. Even better the Light is in us, the Holy Spirit has been given to us, it has been poured out on the believers.

Can there exist true darkness in presence of light? It cannot, there is always hope in Jesus. There is always

John 1:5

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

1 John 1:5

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."

2 Corinthians 5:21

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Galatians 3:13

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'"

John 8:12

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

Colossians 1:13-14

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

2 Corinthians 4:6

"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ."

Ephesians 5:8

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

1 Peter 2:9

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Living in the Light: Trusting in God (especially in Darkness)

Let me start with a practical example which delineates belief and trust well.

In 1859, Blondin became a global sensation when he became the first person to cross the Niagara Gorge on a tightrope. To keep the crowds entertained during subsequent crossings, he performed increasingly difficult stunts—walking blindfolded, in a sack, on stilts, and even carrying a small stove to cook an omelet midway.

Charles Baldwin doing a Ropewalk across the Niagra River

Blondin successfully pushed a wheelbarrow (often mistaken for a cartwheel or cart) across the tightrope.

Upon reaching the other side to roaring cheers, he asked the audience if they believed he could do it again, but this time with a person sitting inside the wheelbarrow. The crowd enthusiastically shouted, "Yes!". That is belief or faith of the crowd in his abilities.

When Blondin asked for a volunteer to actually step up and sit in the wheelbarrow, the entire crowd went completely silent. That is the absence of trust, which caused the silence.

Are you and me today faithful and believing Christians, yet we do not trust God with our lives?

Do we lean on our own understanding and logic, than the provision, timing, ability and intent of our Creator?

Let me remind you today, that our God is the same God who loves us all personally so much that, for us He chose to face complete darkness. It is so that we may live with Him. His intentions for us are good, for He is the source of all goodness.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

God continually asks for our trust. Who do you trust with your life? Who do you trust for your provision? Who do you trust will come for you when you need them?

Is it you? Is it your money that can save you? Is it some other human?

It is better to place our trust in God. He is all powerful, there are no limits to Him. He loves us the most of anybody can. He is love. He is the only one who knows the future and knows you the best, for he knows us even before we were formed in our mother's womb. Logically, as well is he not the best person to be trusted with.

I urge us all to trust in God's timing. When tragedy strikes, when the storms roar, when the enemy is heavy on us, we begin to feel that God has left us. The truth is that there is nowhere we can go where God is not present. It is our trust, that needs to be on Him. The disappointment we face are very often due to misplaced trust in people, wealth & principles based on our understanding.

I would rather put my trust in God, for He is unchanging, faithful and knows the best for me even when I do not. Even death could not hold his love for us, through Jesus Christ.

When you are hurt, when you are afraid, it is still the right time to trust God. The psalmist in Psalm 56 knew this. He says,

Psalms 56:3-4

"Whenever I am afraid,

I will trust in You.

In God (I will praise His word),

In God I have put my trust;

I will not fear.

What can flesh do to me?"

Psalm 118:8-9

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 11:28

"Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf."

Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Psalm 139:13, 16

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb... Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

1 John 4:8

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Romans 8:38-39

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Psalm 139:7-8

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."

Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Ultimately, the raw despair of Psalm 88 is not a testament to God's absence, but an invitation to look to the cross. The darkness we encounter in this fallen world is real, but it is a defeated shadow.

Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, willingly plunged into the absolute, crushing darkness of being entirely forsaken by the Father so that we would never have to be. Because He bore the ultimate penalty and conquered the grave, His unquenchable light now dwells within us through the Holy Spirit.

When the storms rise and our vision dims, we do not need to rely on our own fleeting strength, wealth, or logic. Instead, we are called to step boldly into the wheelbarrow of faith, placing our absolute trust in the Savior who loved us enough to die for us.

We can safely cry out in our darkest moments, confident that we are heard, held, and eternally secure in Jesus Christ—the One who has already overcome the world and guarantees that the darkness will never extinguish His light.

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