I have borne Your terrors;
The psalmist attributes his suffering to divine action, acknowledging God's sovereignty even in distress. This reflects the biblical theme that God is in control of all circumstances, including those that bring fear and terror. The "terrors" may refer to the overwhelming sense of God's judgment or the fear of death and the unknown. This aligns with the experiences of the Israelites, who often faced God's discipline when they strayed from His commandments. Theologically, this can be connected to the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), suggesting that even in terror, there is a recognition of God's ultimate authority.

I am in despair.
Despair indicates a deep sense of hopelessness and emotional turmoil. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, expressing such raw emotion in prayer was not uncommon, as seen in other lament psalms. This phrase captures the depth of the psalmist's anguish, similar to the cries of Jeremiah in Lamentations. It also foreshadows the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He expressed deep sorrow and distress (Matthew 26:38). The psalmist's despair highlights the human need for divine intervention and the hope of redemption, which is ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

• “From my youth” highlights that the psalmist’s suffering has been lifelong. This is not a brief trial but a history of hardship that began early (Psalm 71:17).

• Scripture often shows God’s servants marked by trials from childhood, such as Joseph sold by his brothers (Genesis 37:2, 28) and Jeremiah, who was consecrated “before you were born” yet faced rejection for decades (Jeremiah 1:5–8).

• Lifelong struggles remind us that God’s purposes span a lifetime; even persistent pain is folded into His wise and loving plan (Romans 8:28).

• The psalmist’s affliction brought him repeatedly to the brink of the grave. Job echoed this feeling: “I have no peace… for trouble comes” (Job 3:24–26).

• Paul, pressed “beyond our ability… so that we despaired even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:8–9), learned to rely on “God who raises the dead.”

• When illness or danger feels terminal, Psalm 118:17 encourages, “I will not die, but live, and proclaim what the LORD has done.” God can use even near-death experiences to display His deliverance.

• The psalmist recognizes God’s sovereignty over every hardship. He calls them “Your terrors,” acknowledging that nothing touches him apart from God’s hand (Psalm 90:11; Lamentations 3:37–38).

• This sense of divine awe does not deny God’s goodness; rather, it confesses that the Almighty’s discipline is profound and purposeful (Hebrews 12:5–7).

• Isaiah described Hezekiah’s brush with death: “Like a lion He breaks all my bones; day and night You make an end of me” (Isaiah 38:13). Feeling God’s terrors can drive the heart to a deeper reverence and reliance on His mercy.

• Honest lament reaches its lowest point here. The psalmist is “in despair,” yet his very cry is an act of faith. He is still speaking to God, not turning from Him (Psalm 42:11).

• Paul wrote, “We are hard pressed… but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). The child of God may feel despair, but in Christ there is always a deeper hope beneath the sorrow.

• Even when emotions say “There is no hope,” God’s Word assures that His steadfast love never ceases (Lamentations 3:21–23). Despair is real, but it is not the final word.

Psalm 88:15 portrays lifelong suffering that has pressed the psalmist to the edge of death, overwhelmed him with the terrors of God’s discipline, and left him in utter despair. Yet every phrase is spoken to the LORD, revealing a rugged faith that clings to God even when no light is visible. The verse invites believers to bring honest grief to the God who rules every circumstance, trusting that His sovereign purposes and steadfast love remain sure, even when feelings fail.

Distracted.--The Hebrew word is peculiar to the place. The ancient versions all agree in taking it as a verb, and rendering it by some general term denoting "trouble." But the context evidently requires a stronger word, and possibly connecting with a cognate word meaning "wheel," we may get, "I turn giddy." A change of a stroke in one letter would give "I grow frigid." (Comp. Psalm 38:8.)