Psalm 88:1-18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:9

Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction ,.... Or dropped tears, as the Targum, by which grief was vented; see Psalm 6:7 . Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee ; in prayer, as the Targum adds, this being a prayer gesture: notwithstanding his troubles continued and increased, he did not leave off praying, though he was not immediately heard and answered, which is what is tacitly complained of, as in Psalm 22:2 . Christ, in his troubles in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:10

Wilt thou show wonders to the dead ?.... The Lord does show wonders to some that are spiritually dead, dead in Adam, dead in law, dead in trespasses and sins, by quickening them; whereby the wonders of his grace and love, and of his power, and the exceeding greatness of it, are displayed; for the conversion and quickening of a dead sinner is a marvellous event, like that of; raising Lazarus from the dead, and causing Ezekiel's dry bones to live: likewise the Lord will show wonders to those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:11

Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave ?.... Where he saw himself now going, and where should he be detained, and not raised out of it, the lovingkindness of God to him, as his Son, and as man and Mediator, and to his people in the gift and mission of him to be their Saviour and Redeemer, how would that be declared and made known? now it is, Christ being raised, and his ministers having a commission from him to preach the Gospel, in which the lovingkindness of God is abundantly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:12

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark ?.... A description of the grave again; see Job 10:21 , The sense may be, should he continue in the dark and silent grave, how would the wonders of the grace of God, of electing, redeeming, justifying, pardoning, and adopting grace, be made known; the wonders of Christ's person and offices, and the wondrous things, and doctrines of the Gospel, relating thereunto? as the glory of these would be eclipsed, there would be none to publish them: and thy... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:13

But unto thee have I cried, O Lord ,.... Formerly, and had been heard, answered, and relieved, and which was an encouragement to cry again to him in his distress; Christ was always heard, John 11:42 , or, now, in his present case, yet was not heard, at least not immediately answered; which was the case of the Messiah, when forsaken by his God and Father, Psalm 22:1 , yet still determines to continue praying, as follows: and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee ; not before the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:14

Lord, why castest thou off my soul ?.... Here begins his prayer, which he determined to present early in the morning, and consists of expostulations, and a representation of his distressed case: this shows that he was under soul desertion, and which was what so greatly afflicted him; imagining that his soul was cast off by the Lord, and had no more share in his affection, and was no more under his care, and in his sight: such expostulations of the saints, the church, and people of God, in a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:15

I am afflicted ,.... In body and mind, from within and from without, by Satan, by the men of the world, and by the Lord himself; which is the common lot of God's people, Psalm 34:19 and was the case of the Messiah, who was afflicted both with the tongues and hands of men, by words, by blows, and by the temptations of Satan; and was smitten and afflicted of God, by divine justice, as the sinner's surety: see Psalm 22:24 or I am poor F1 עני "pauper", V. L. Pagninus, Junius &... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:16

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me ,.... Or "wraths" F8 חרוניך "irae tuae", Pagninus, Montanus; "furores tui", Musculus, Tigurine version. , burning wrath; the whole of divine wrath, in all its fierceness, due to the sins of his people: these, like the mighty waves of the sea, passed over him, threatening to overwhelm him, Psalm 89:38 , thy terrors have cut me off ; from the presence of God, and out of his sight; as sometimes the Lord's people are ready to imagine, when forsaken by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:17

They came round about me daily like water ,.... That is, the terrors of the Lord, the sorrows of death and hell, Psalm 18:4 , this was the Messiah's case, when it was with him as is expressed Psalm 69:1 , they compassed me about together ; as waters coming from many places, from all quarters, meet together, and together surround a person or place in such circumstances was Christ, when the bulls of Bashan beset him around, and the assembly of the wicked enclosed him, and innumerable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 88:18

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me ,.... This is mentioned in Psalm 88:8 , and is here repeated; and the account is closed with it, to show that this was a most aggravating circumstance of his affliction, and which bore exceeding hard upon him; and this must be a very uncomfortable case, to be in distress, whether of body or mind, and to have no kind friend near to yield the least help, relief, and comfort; so Christ's lovers and friends, his disciples, who loved him and he loved... read more

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