Psalms 88:17

"They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me."

Key Reflection

In Psalm 88:17, the psalmist vividly describes a sense of overwhelming hardship and distress. The imagery of "water" that "came around me all day long" suggests a continuous and relentless pressure, much like being surrounded by waves that threaten to consume one completely. This powerful image conveys the intense burden felt by the psalmist, highlighting both the physical and emotional aspects of their suffering in a way that resonates deeply with those who have experienced overwhelming trials.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

They came round about me daily like water -Margin, “as in” Hebrew, all the day. That is, his troubles seemed to be like the waves of the sea cohnstantly breaking on the shore. SeePsalms 42:7. They compassed me about together -My troubles did not come singly, so that I could meet them one at a time, but they seemed to have banded themselves together; they all came upon me at once.

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