Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? (compare above, Psalms 88:10). And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? "The land of forgetfulness," or "of oblivion," is another name for Hades, or Sheol—not that there are supposed to be no memories of the past in it (Isaiah 14:16, Isaiah 14:17), but that all is faint and shadowy there, consciousness but a half-consciousness, remembrance but a half-remembrance.
Bible Commentary
Psalms 88:12
Psalms 88:12
The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain
The Daily Devotional
One devotional. Every morning.
The full reading, the passage behind it, and where to go deeper — in your inbox before the day starts. No ads, ever.
We'll send one email to confirm it's really you. Unsubscribe in one tap, any time.
Continue tomorrow
Turn Bible study into a daily habit
Read today's devotional, save your progress, and receive a gentle daily reminder.
Recommended reading
More for Psalms 88:12
Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.
Other commentaries
Psalms 88 — OverviewPsalms 88 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThis psalm is a lamentation, one of the most melancholy of all the
psalms; and it does not conclude, as usually the melancholy psalms do,
with the least intimation of comfort or joy, but, from first to last,
it…Psalms 88 — OverviewPsalms 88 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgePsalms 88:1, A prayer containing a grievous complaint. Mahalath. Psalms 53:1 *titlePsalms 88 — OverviewPsalms 88 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSong [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. Of the word "maalath", See Gill on "Ps 53:1". "Leannoth" signifies "to answer". Perhaps this song was…Psalms 88:1-18Psalms 88:1-18 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION
THE most mournful of all the psalms. After one almost formal "word of trust" (Psalms 88:1), the remainder is a continuous bitter cry of complaint, rising at times into expostulation (Psalms 88:10-12), and…Psalms 88:1-18Psalms 88:1-18 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe 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…Psalms 88:1-18Psalms 88:1-18 · The Pulpit CommentaryLight 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…