Psalms 88:11
in Psalms 88Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction?
KJV
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
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This verse in Psalms 88
Commentary
10 notes on this verseShall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Thy tender goodness—who shall testify concerning it in that cold abode where the worm and corruption hold their riot? The living may indite "meditations among the Tombs", but the dead know nothing, and therefore can declare nothing. Or thy faithfulness in destruction? If the Lord suffered his servant to die before the divine promise was fulfilled, it would be quite impossible for his faithfulness to be proclaimed.
This site's exposition
wonders for the dead
on Psalms 88:10-12
Four questions run here, and each expects the answer no. Abaddon in verse 11 names the place of the dead, from the Hebrew word for perishing. The questions set God's own praise at stake, and Psalm 6:5 asks the same, who can praise You from Sheol.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Shall one show Thy loving-kindness in the grave, or Thy faithfulness in destruction?" (ver. 11). The word "show" is of course understood as if repeated, Shall any show Thy faithfulness in destruction? Scripture loves to connect loving-kindness and faithfulness, especially in the Psalms. "Destruction" also is a repetition of "the grave," and signifies them who are in the grave, styled above "the dead," in the verse, "Dost thou show wonders among the dead?" for the body is the grave of the dead soul; whence our Lord's words in the Gospel, "Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
"Shall anyone declare in the sepulchre," and so forth. He shall not praise thee who is buried in the riches of the world, nor he who dwells in the ruin of sin.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
A man of prayer, one that gave himself to prayer at all times, but especially now that he was in affliction; for is any afflicted? let him pray. It is his comfort that he had prayed; it is his complaint that, notwithstanding his prayer, he was still in affliction. Very earnest in prayer: " I have cried unto thee (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave?....
But shall thy lovingkindness to thy people be declared in the grave, either by those or to those that lie buried there? And thy faithfulness to thy promise, shall that be told in destruction? shall thy wonders be wrought in the dark, or known there, and thy righteousness in the grave, which is the land of forgetfulness, where men remember nothing, nor are themselves remembered?
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Thy tender goodness—who shall testify concerning it in that cold abode where the worm and corruption hold their riot? The living may indite "meditations among the Tombs", but the dead know nothing, and therefore can declare nothing. Or thy faithfulness in destruction? If the Lord suffered his servant to die before the divine promise was fulfilled, it would be quite impossible for his faithfulness to be proclaimed. The poet is dealing with this life only, and looking at the matter from the point of view afforded by time and the present race of men; if a believer were deserted and permitted to die in despair, there could come no voice from his grave to inform mankind that the Lord had rectified his wrongs and relieved him of his trials, no songs would leap up from the cold sod to hymn the truth and goodness of the Lord; but as far as men are concerned, a voice which loved to magnify the grace of God would be silenced, and a loving witness for the Lord removed from the sphere of testimony.
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? - Thy goodness; thy mercy. Shall anyone make it known there? shall it there be celebrated? Or thy faithfulness in destruction? - In the place where destruction seems to reign; where human hopes perish; where the body moulders back to dust. Shall anyone there dwell on the fidelity - the truthfulness - of God, in such a way as to honor him? It is implied here that, according to the views then entertained of the state of the dead, those things would not occur. According to what is now made known to us of the unseen world it is true that the mercy of God will not be made known to the dead; that the Gospel will not be preached to them; that no messenger from God will convey to them the offers of salvation. Compare Luk 16:28-31.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Will You perform a wonder for the dead? Do You perform a wonder and miracles for the wicked, who are called dead even in their lifetime?
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Will Your kindness be told in the grave if we die in the hands of our enemies, will we be able to recite Your praise in the grave?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
5 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר | haysupar | ¿ will it be recounted | H5608 → | 159 times |
| בַּקֶּ֣בֶר | bakever | in the grave | H6913 → | 67 times |
| חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | chasdekha | covenant loyalty your | H2617 → | 247 times |
| אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ | ʾemunatekha | faithfulness your | H530 → | 49 times |
| בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃ | baavadon | in <the> Abaddon | H11 → |
הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר¿ will it be recounted
haysuparH5608 →159 times
בַּקֶּ֣בֶרin the grave
bakeverH6913 →67 times
חַסְדֶּ֑ךָcovenant loyalty your
chasdekhaH2617 →247 times
אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗faithfulness your
ʾemunatekhaH530 →49 times
בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃in <the> Abaddon
baavadonH11 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Peter 2:1Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
it leads to
- Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- Jude 1:4
For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only…
- Deuteronomy 13:1–3
If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,
- 2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
- Matthew 24:11
and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.
- Matthew 7:15
Through
Proverbs 15:11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD—how much more the hearts of men!
it leads to
- Psalms 44:21
would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Psalms 139:8
If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
- Psalms 44:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 88; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 65, on Psalm 87 (Alternate Series); John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.