What is the meaning of Psalm 88:10? Do You work wonders for the dead? • The psalmist asks whether God’s miraculous power reaches into death itself: “Do You work wonders for the dead?” (Psalm 88:10a). • This is not doubt but desperation; he knows God’s history of wonders—parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–31) and sending fire on Elijah’s altar (1 Kings 18:36–39)—yet from the pit he wonders if those wonders extend past the grave. • Other Scriptures affirm that God does act beyond death: – Elijah and Elisha both raised the dead (1 Kings 17:22; 2 Kings 4:34–35). – Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25–26), then raised Lazarus (John 11:43–44). – Paul speaks of the same mighty power “which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19–20). • The question reminds readers that God’s power is not confined to this life; He can and does intervene even in death. Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? • Continuing the lament, the psalmist says, “Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?” (Psalm 88:10b). • Earlier, David wrote, “The dead do not praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence” (Psalm 115:17). From earth’s vantage point, the grave looks silent. • Yet later revelation unfolds hope: – “Your dead will live; their bodies will rise” (Isaiah 26:19). – “Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake” (Daniel 12:2). – Jesus assures, “All who are in the tombs will hear His voice” (John 5:28–29). – The heavenly scene shows redeemed saints praising God (Revelation 7:9–12). • Thus, while the psalmist’s question arises from present anguish, the full canon answers with a resounding “Yes”—there will be praise after resurrection. Selah • “Selah” invites a pause, calling readers to weigh the tension between present suffering and future hope. • The psalmist’s raw honesty teaches us to bring every fear before God, trusting that His ultimate answer lies beyond the immediate pain (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18). summary Psalm 88:10 voices the anguished cry of a believer who feels cut off by death yet still looks to the Lord of wonders. He asks if God’s power reaches the grave and if the dead can praise Him. Scripture shows that God indeed works wonders for the dead, culminating in Christ’s resurrection, and that a future resurrection will fill heaven with the praise of once-silent saints. The verse, framed by “Selah,” invites us to pause, grieve honestly, and cling to the promise that God’s saving power conquers even death itself. |
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