Psalm 88:13

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 88:13

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 88:13

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:1-18

Metrically, the psalm is almost without divisions—"a slow, unbroken wail," expressive of "the monotony of woe." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:1-18

The saddest psalm in the Psalter. For in well nigh all others, though there may be darkness of soul, a very night of darkness, yet we see the light arise; though we see "weeping endure for the night," yet we see also that "joy cometh in the morning." But in this psalm we do not see such coming of joy. The believer who wrote it was one who was called to "walk in darkness, and bad no light." But he is holding on; he prays, and perseveres in prayer; he recognizes the hand of God in his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:1-18

Light in the darkness. This is the darkest, saddest psalm of all the Psalms. I. A PICTURE OF THE MOST DESPAIRING MISERY . Scarcely possible to think that such unalleviated misery ever existed. 1 . Utter physical and mental weakness and prostration. (Verse 6.) As good as dead. 2 . Utterly forsaken of all his friends. (Verses 8, 18.) And God had put them from him. 3 . Cast off from God, by reason of is wrath. (Verses 7, 14, 15, 16.) He is abandoned utterly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:13

But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; literally, but as for me, to thee have I cried. The psalmist returns from the somewhat vague speculations of Psalms 88:10-12 to fact and to himself. He is not yet a mere shade, an inhabitant of Sheol; he is in the flesh, upon the earth; he can still cry, and does still cry, to Jehovah. There is thus still a faint gleam of hope for him. And in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. The psalmist will draw out God's mercy, as it were, before its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 88:13

Prayer getting in front of God. "In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee." The idea is a singular one, based upon the older meaning of the word "prevent." Thinking of God under the figure of an earthly King, he conceives of himself as a petitioner who is so intense in his desire that he reaches the palace gate before the King is up. His prayer is there before the King is. To "prevent" now means to "hinder." In older days it simply meant to "go before," to "anticipate." The word is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 88:13

But unto thee have I cried, O Lord - I have earnestly prayed; I have sought thy gracious interposition.And in the morning - That is, each morning; every day. My first business in the morning shall be prayer.Shall my prayer prevent thee - Anticipate thee; go before thee: that is, it shall be early; so to speak even before thou dost awake to the employments of the day. The language is that which would be applicable to a case where one made an appeal to another for aid before he had arisen from... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 88:13-18

Psalms 88:13-18. In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee That is, shall be offered to thee early, before the ordinary time of morning prayer, or before the dawning of the day, or the rising of the sun. The sense is, Though I have hitherto got no answer to my prayers, yet I will not give over praying and hoping for an answer. Why hidest thou thy face from me? This proceeding seems not to agree with the benignity of thy nature, nor with the manner of thy dealing with thy people. I am... read more

Group of Brands