The Godly Man in Trouble
Psalm 88:9
My eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily on you, I have stretched out my hands to you.


1. Godliness doth not make men senseless of grief, nor doth it hinder tears or mourning, or any other effects of sorrow to be seen in their body.

2. Sorrow should neither hinder the godly to seek God, nor move them to seek their consolation elsewhere.

3. It is possible that a godly man may be instant daily with God, praying with tears for comfort, and yet not obtain for a long time, as this example doth teach.

4. As in serious prayer, specially in secret, the affections of the heart do utter themselves in the answerable gestures of the body, as well as in the voice and words of the mouth; so those gestures have their own speech unto God, no less than the words of the mouth have; as here, "I have stretched out my hands unto Thee," is brought forth to express his submissive rendering up of himself .unto God, and his dependence upon Him.

(D. Dickson.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

WEB: My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you.




The Imprisoning Power of Suffering
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