John Calvin Commentary Psalms 88:1

"O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee." — Psalms 88:1 (ASV)

O Jehovah! God of my salvation! Let me particularly call your attention to what I have just stated: although the prophet simply, and without hyperbole, describes the agony he suffered from his great sorrows, his purpose was also to provide the afflicted with a model for prayer so that they might not lose heart under any adversities, however severe, that might happen to them.

We will soon hear him bursting out into vehement complaints because of the severity of his calamities. However, he appropriately strengthens himself with this brief introduction, so that, not carried away by the intensity of his feelings, he might avoid being accused of complaining and murmuring against God, instead of humbly supplicating Him for pardon.

By calling Him the God of his salvation, as if putting a bridle on himself, he restrains his excessive sorrow, shuts the door against despair, and strengthens and prepares himself for the endurance of the cross. When he speaks of his crying and persistence, he indicates the deep sincerity with which he prayed.

He may not, indeed, have actually cried out loudly; but he uses the word cry, with much propriety, to denote the great earnestness of his prayers. The same thing is implied when he tells us that he continued crying days and nights. Nor are the words before thee superfluous.

It is common for everyone to complain when overwhelmed by grief, but few of them pour out their groanings before God. Instead, the majority of people seek solitude so that they can murmur against Him and accuse Him of excessive severity, while others cry out into the air aimlessly. From this we understand that it is a rare virtue to set God before our eyes so that we may address our prayers to Him.