Psalm 88:10-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 88:10-18

In these verses, I. The psalmist expostulates with God concerning the present deplorable condition he was in (Ps. 88:10-12): ?Wilt thou do a miraculous work to the dead, and raise them to life again? Shall those that are dead and buried rise up to praise thee? No; they leave it to their children to rise up in their room to praise God; none expects that they should do it; and wherefore should they rise, wherefore should they live, but to praise God? The life we are born to at first, and 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 88:10

Wilt thou show wonders to the dead! - מתים methim , dead men. Shall the dead - רפאים rephaim , "the manes or departed spirits." Arise and praise thee? - Any more in this life? The interrogations in this and the two following verses imply the strongest negations. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 88:11

Or thy faithfulness in destruction? - Faithfulness in God refers as well to his fulfilling his threatenings as to his keeping his promises. The wicked are threatened with such punishments as their crimes have deserved; but annihilation is no punishment. God therefore does not intend to annihilate the wicked; their destruction cannot declare the faithfulness of God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 88:12

The land of forgetfulness? - The place of separate spirits, or the invisible world. The heathens had some notion of this state. They feigned a river in the invisible world, called Lethe, Ληθη , which signifies oblivion, and that those who drank of it remembered no more any thing relative to their former state. - Animae, quibus altera fato Corpora debentur, lethaei ad fluminis undam Securos latices et longa oblivia potant read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 88:13

Shall my prayer prevent thee - It shall get before thee; I will not wait till the accustomed time to offer my morning sacrifice, I shall call on thee long before others come to offer their devotions. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 88:10

Verse 10 10.Wilt thou perform a miracle for the dead? By these words the prophet intimates, that God, if he did not make haste to succor him, would be too late, there being scarce anything betwixt him and death; and that therefore this was the critical juncture, if God was inclined to help him, for should the present opportunity not be embraced another would not occur. He asks how long God meant to delay, — if he meant to do so till death intervened, that he might raise the dead by a miracle?... read more

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