If there's one thing Psalmists were good at, it's expressing their feelings honestly. Several times, we see the Psalmists expressing their deepest griefs, begging the Lord to free them from trials that are overpowering them, even to the extent where they wonder if God Himself may be against them.
This is especially the case in Psalm 88. This Psalm is somewhat anomalous. Whereas most Psalms express some form of hope, and even praise for answered prayers, Heman (the author) expresses nothing but grief. He asks the Lord to hear him because "I have had enough of troubles, and my life is near Sheol". The modern day equivalent would be "I'm going through Hell". Except Heman, unlike most people who use such a phrase today, is not being melodramatic. He's not crying over spilled milk, he's not upset because a wave of blessings is overshadowed by one tiny little hindrance, Heman is seriously suffering.
And what does this tell us? It tells us one simple thing: It's ok to not be ok. If you're at breaking point, if you feel forgotten by God, even if you feel like God is actually punishing you, it's not a sin to say so. You don't have to keep your feelings bottled up, and you certainly don't have to hide them from God. As if you could anyway. "God, I'm totally fine." No you're not, and He knows it. He sees your heart, He knows your circumstances, He knew exactly what was going to happen to you before you were even born. You can't lie to such a God!
So what does Peter tell us? "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7). And what does Paul tell us? "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7). And Heman, though he obviously did not have access to those specific Scriptures, nevertheless seems to have applied their truth. Although the Psalm shows no sign of God actually answering, nevertheless Heman keeps praying. "Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night"! "Lord, I cry out to you all day long, I spread out my hands to you"! "But I call to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer meets you"! Heman's Psalm is a real downer, but these are not the words of a pessimist. These are the words of a man whose faith is as strong in the face of devastation as in times of prosperity.
I feel that Heman may have benefited from the parable of the persistent widow. In Luke 18:1-7, we read "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?"
And again, in Luke 11:5-10, we read "And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
And so I do not believe God would condemn Heman for his words like "your wrath sweeps over me, your terrors destroy me". Here is Heman merely acknowledging the sovereignty of God, without whose permission Satan himself cannot flex his pinky. But what else does he do? He prays! He prays without ceasing! He is more persistent than the widow crying for justice. He knocks harder than the friend asking for bread. The second Heman descended to the grave, I have no doubt he found a loving God, arms open wide, declaring "well done, faithful servant". Because it is easy to praise God when everything is going well. When a hedge surrounds you, when a roof shields you from the elements, when your cup overflows and you have enough leftovers to feed the pigs, praise comes easily. But when God seems to give you the cold shoulder, it can be tempting to curse His very name. But Heman didn't. He showed his faith through brutal honesty, and persistent prayer with hope of an eventual answer. Be like Heman.
Recommended song: Skillet - Out of Hell