we know God has heard our prayer, and promising that we will come back to testify to God’s act when God has delivered us. But this is not a template that psalms closely follow; and Ps. 88 is exceptional in its selectivity in relation to it.8 After the opening address to God and plea for God to listen, it is simply lament and protest. The other elements in the template—even prayer for God to act, as well as either a declaration of innocence or an expression of penitence—are conspicuous by their absence.