Praying the Psalms with Luther

READ: Ezekiel 37 – 39 Psalm 88 Hebrews 9:1 – 10:10

The 88th Psalm is a Psalm of prayer that prays in the person of Christ and all other great saints, lamenting the high spiritual suffering that is above all suffering, namely, the terror of God; this is what the psalmist calls death, the grave, and hell, as it truly is, causing miserable and pitiful conditions, St. Paul called it “the messenger of Satan” [2nd Corinthians 12:7] that beat on him with his fist, and a “thorn” in his body with which he was pierced. This Psalm also says that their friends and relatives, who should cry for them and suffer with them, are instead far from them.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, who endured the pangs of death and the torment of hell for our sakes, be with us and save us from the despondency which would drive us to despair, and would swallow up our soul. Pour out abundantly upon us the Spirit of joy and comfort, to lift from us the burden and guilt of sin, and to strengthen and comfort us through Your sacred wounds. Amen.