Psalms 88:17
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
Original Language Analysis
סַבּ֣וּנִי
They came round about
H5437
סַבּ֣וּנִי
They came round about
Strong's:
H5437
Word #:
1 of 7
to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively
כַ֭מַּיִם
like water
H4325
כַ֭מַּיִם
like water
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
2 of 7
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
3 of 7
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַיּ֑וֹם
me daily
H3117
הַיּ֑וֹם
me daily
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
4 of 7
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
הִקִּ֖יפוּ
they compassed
H5362
הִקִּ֖יפוּ
they compassed
Strong's:
H5362
Word #:
5 of 7
to strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of attack) to knock together, i.e., surround or circulate
Historical Context
This psalm's placement in Book III of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89) is significant. Book III deals with national suffering and the apparent failure of the Davidic covenant, ending with Psalm 89's lament over rejected kingship. Psalm 88 personalizes that national crisis—what does it feel like when God's promises seem to fail? Yet the Psalter continues to Books IV-V, which emphasize God's eternal reign and ultimate faithfulness, providing the hope that Psalm 88 itself lacks.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you maintain hope when suffering feels relentless—coming at you "daily" with no reprieve?
- What does it mean that Scripture includes a psalm that ends without resolution, validating your own unresolved struggles?
- How does the three-day gap between Christ's unresolved death and resurrection morning speak to seasons when you are still waiting for deliverance?
Analysis & Commentary
They came round about me daily like water (סַבּוּנִי כַמַּיִם כָּל־הַיּוֹם, sabuni chamayim kol-hayom)—"They" refers to the terrors mentioned in verse 16, now personified as assailants surrounding the victim. "Like water" suggests overwhelming, inescapable encirclement—not just a single wave but constant immersion. "Daily" (kol-hayom, literally "all the day") emphasizes the relentless, unceasing nature of the assault. They compassed me about together (הִקִּיפוּ עָלַי יָחַד, hikifu alay yachad)—"Together" suggests coordinated attack from all sides simultaneously, leaving no escape route.
Psalm 88 ends at verse 18 with the haunting word "darkness"—no resolution, no deliverance, no praise. The psalmist remains surrounded, overwhelmed, and alone. Yet this unresolved ending points forward to the darkest moment in history: Christ on the cross, surrounded by mockers, engulfed by divine wrath, crying out in abandonment. But that darkness gave way to resurrection light, transforming every experience of unresolved suffering into a temporary prelude to eternal glory.