ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Sapate ‘Okatopa 8, 2023

Prayer 

Ko e Lotu

PSALM 88:1-2

O LORD, GOD OF MY SALVATION, I CRY OUT DAY AND NIGHT BEFORE YOU. LET MY PRAYER COME BEFORE YOU; INCLINE YOUR EAR TO MY CRY!

SAAME 88:1-2

1 ‘E Sihova ko hoku ‘Otua fakamo‘ui, ‘Oku ou fakafe‘ao kiate koe ‘aho mo e pō mo ‘eku tangi: 2 Ke a‘u ‘eku lotu ki ho ‘ao na; Ofe‘i ho fofonga ki he le‘o ‘o ‘eku kalanga.

Psalm 88 is the darkest of the dark psalms. The poet is as good as dead. He languishes in a grave-like existence, in "regions dark and deep" (v. 6). He is a nightmare to his friends, who turn their backs on him (v. 8). Divine wrath has swept over him and hemmed him in (vv. 15-17). His "companions have become darkness" (v. 18). Indeed, the closing Hebrew word of the psalm, "darkness," encapsulates its contents. And yet even in this dreadful state, his t'fillah ("prayer") rises to God (v. 2). From the verb palal ("to pray"), t'fillah is the most common of the dozen or so Hebrew words used for prayer or intercession. A few of the psalms are even entitled t'fillah, such as Psalm 17.

"A T'fillah of David."

St. Augustine sees in Psalm 88 a prophecy of Christ's passion. Every word speaks with a crucifixion accent. On that cruel tree, Jesus still prayed, as the poet of Psalm 88 does. He prays for himself, for us, for the world, even for those who hammered the nails. And his t'fillah was heard, for after his days in darkness, he walked into the sunrise of a resurrection morning so that we too may live and pray to him.

"Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you!" (Ps. 102:1).