How can Psalm 88:10 deepen our trust in God's sovereignty during trials? The honest cry from the pit Psalm 88 is unique among the laments—it ends without the usual turn to praise. In verse 10 the psalmist asks, “Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah”. Though wrapped in despair, this cry is directed to God, acknowledging His complete control over life, death, and everything in between. The rhetorical question that reveals faith • Even while feeling abandoned, the psalmist still believes God alone can “work wonders.” • The mention of the dead underscores that only the Lord determines whether someone remains in Sheol or rises to praise. • By asking the question, the psalmist implicitly confesses that if deliverance comes, it must come from God’s sovereign hand (cf. 1 Samuel 2:6; Job 1:21). Life-and-death sovereignty on display • Sovereignty over existence: “The LORD brings death and gives life” (1 Samuel 2:6). Psalm 88:10 rests on the same truth—God governs both sides of the grave. • Sovereignty over circumstances: Daniel reminded Nebuchadnezzar, “He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth” (Daniel 4:35). If God rules empires, He rules personal trials. • Sovereignty affirmed in Christ: Jesus proved authority over death by raising Lazarus (John 11:43-44) and by His own resurrection (Romans 6:9). Psalm 88:10 finds its ultimate answer in Him. Practical ways Psalm 88:10 strengthens trust during trials 1. It invites raw honesty. • God permits anguished questions; voicing them is not unbelief but engagement with the Sovereign. 2. It re-centers focus on God’s power. • When circumstances feel terminal, remembering God’s mastery over the grave keeps desperation from becoming despair. 3. It widens perspective. • If God can raise the dead, He can certainly handle today’s dilemma (Romans 8:38-39). 4. It fuels perseverance. • Knowing the Author of life hears us encourages persistent prayer, even when answers delay (Luke 18:1). 5. It anchors hope beyond this life. • The verse hints at resurrection; trials may end in the grave, but God’s sovereignty extends further (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Connecting Psalm 88:10 with the rest of Scripture • Psalm 16:10—“You will not abandon my soul to Sheol.” God’s covenant faithfulness guarantees ultimate deliverance. • Psalm 135:6—“The LORD does whatever pleases Him in heaven and on earth.” Trials are never outside His will. • 2 Corinthians 4:8-9—“We are hard pressed on all sides, yet not crushed… struck down, yet not destroyed.” Paul echoes the confidence Psalm 88:10 points toward. • Revelation 1:18—Christ holds “the keys of Death and of Hades,” confirming the sovereignty implied in the psalmist’s question. Takeaways for today • Bring every fear, even of death itself, into conversation with the Lord. • Let God’s proven authority over the grave recalibrate anxiety during hardship. • Expect His wonders—whether immediate relief, sustaining grace, or final resurrection—because nothing limits His sovereign power. |
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