11 Shall thy lovingkindness H2617 be declared H5608 in the grave? H6913 or thy faithfulness H530 in destruction? H11
That the wicked H7451 is reserved H2820 to the day H3117 of destruction? H343 they shall be brought forth H2986 to the day H3117 of wrath. H5678
Surely thou didst set H7896 them in slippery places: H2513 thou castedst them down H5307 into destruction. H4876
Hell H7585 and destruction H11 are before the LORD: H3068 how much more then the hearts H3826 of the children H1121 of men? H120
What if G1487 G1161 God, G2316 willing G2309 to shew G1731 his wrath, G3709 and G2532 to make G1107 his G846 power G1415 known, G1107 endured G5342 with G1722 much G4183 longsuffering G3115 the vessels G4632 of wrath G3709 fitted G2675 to G1519 destruction: G684
But G1161 there were G1096 false prophets G5578 also G2532 among G1722 the people, G2992 even G2532 as G5613 there shall be G2071 false teachers G5572 among G1722 you, G5213 who G3748 privily shall bring in G3919 damnable G684 heresies, G139 even G2532 denying G720 the Lord G1203 that bought G59 them, G846 and bring G1863 upon themselves G1438 swift G5031 destruction. G684
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 88
Commentary on Psalms 88 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 88
This 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 is mourning and woe. It is not upon a public account that the psalmist here complains (here is no mention of the afflictions of the church), but only upon a personal account, especially trouble of mind, and the grief impressed upon his spirits both by his outward afflictions and by the remembrance of his sins and the fear of God's wrath. It is reckoned among the penitential psalms, and it is well when our fears are thus turned into the right channel, and we take occasion from our worldly grievances to sorrow after a godly sort. In this psalm we have,
Those who are in trouble of mind may sing this psalm feelingly; those that are not ought to sing it thankfully, blessing God that it is not their case.
A song or psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.
Psa 88:1-9
It should seem, by the titles of this and the following psalm, that Heman was the penman of the one and Ethan of the other. There were two, of these names, who were sons of Zerah the son of Judah, 1 Chr. 2:4, 6. There were two others famed for wisdom, 1 Ki. 4:31, where, to magnify Solomon's wisdom, he is said to be wiser than Heman and Ethan. Whether the Heman and Ethan who were Levites and precentors in the songs of Zion were the same we are not sure, nor which of these, nor whether any of these, were the penmen of these psalms. There was a Heman that was one of the chief singers, who is called the king's seer, or prophet, in the words of God (1 Chr. 25:5); it is probable that this also was a seer, and yet could see no comfort for himself, an instructor and comforter of others, and yet himself putting comfort away from him. The very first words of the psalm are the only words of comfort and support in all the psalm. There is nothing about him but clouds and darkness; but, before he begins his complaint, he calls God the God of his salvation, which intimates both that he looked for salvation, bad as things were, and that he looked up to God for the salvation and depended upon him to be the author of it. Now here we have the psalmist,
Psa 88:10-18
In these verses,