Psalms 88 · Verse 10

Psalms 88:10

Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
Psalms 88:10, King James Version

Psalms 88:10 in other translations

BSBDo You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah
WEBDo you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.
ASVWilt thou show wonders to the dead? Shall they that are deceased arise and praise thee? [Selah
YLTTo the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? Selah.
DARBYWilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? Selah.
BBEWill you do works of wonder for the dead? will the shades come back to give you praise? (Selah.)
WebsterWilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.

What does Psalms 88:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. shall the dead--the remains of ghosts. arise--literally, "rise up," that is, as dead persons.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead! - מתים methim, dead men. Shall the dead - רפאים rephaim, "the manes or departed spirits." Arise and praise thee? - Any more in this life? The interrogations in this and the two following verses imply the strongest negations.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 88:10-18
Departed souls may declare God's faithfulness, justice, and lovingkindness; but deceased bodies can neither receive God's favours in comfort, nor return them in praise. The psalmist resolved to continue in prayer, and the more so, because deliverance did not come speedily. Though our prayers are not soon answered, yet we must not give over praying. The greater our troubles, the more earnest and serious we should be in prayer. Nothing grieves a child of God so much as losing sight of him; nor is there any thing he so much dreads as God's casting off his soul. If the sun be clouded, that darkens the earth; but if the sun should leave the earth, what a dungeon would it be! Even those designed for God's favours, may for a time suffer his terrors. See how deep those terrors wounded the psalmist. If friends are put far from us by providences, or death, we have reason to look upon it as affliction. Such was the calamitous state of a good man. But the pleas here used were peculiarly suited to Christ. And we are not to think that the holy Jesus suffered for us only at Gethsemane and on Calvary. His whole life was labour and sorrow; he was afflicted as never man was, from his youth up. He was prepared for that death of which he tasted through life. No man could share in the sufferings by which other men were to be redeemed. All forsook him, and fled. Oftentimes, blessed Jesus, do we forsake thee; but do not forsake us, O take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 88:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֲלַמֵּתִ֥יםha.la.me.Tim¿ for the deadH4191
תַּעֲשֶׂה\־ta.'a.seh-will you doH6213
פֶּ֑לֶאPe.le'wonder[s]H6382
אִם\־'im-or?H518
רְ֝פָאִ֗יםre.fa.'Im[the] shadesH7496
יָק֤וּמוּ\׀ya.Ku.muwill they ariseH6965
יוֹד֬וּךָyo.Du.khawill they give thanks to? youH3034
סֶּֽלָה\׃Se.lahSelahH5542

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 88:10

  • Isaiah 26:19

    Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

  • Psalms 6:5

    For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

  • Isaiah 38:18-19

    For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

  • Psalms 30:9

    What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

  • 1 Corinthians 15:52-57

    In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? …

  • Mark 5:35-36

    While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

  • Luke 7:12-16

    Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. …

  • Job 14:7-12

    For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? …

  • Psalms 115:17

    The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.

  • Psalms 118:17

    I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 37:1-14

    The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Wilt thou.The interrogations in these verses imply the strongest negations.
6:5; 30:9; 115:17; 118:17; Isa 38:18,19; Mr 5:35,36
shall.
Job 14:7-12; Isa 26:19; Eze 37:1-14; Lu 7:12-16; 1Co 15:52-57

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 88:9

    Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

  • Psalms 88:10

    Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.

  • Psalms 88:11

    Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?

Read all of Psalms 88

Psalms 88:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Harás tú milagro á los muertos? ¿levantaránse los muertos para alabarte? (Selah.)
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mon œil se consume d’affliction; j’ai crié à toi, Éternel, tous les jours; j’ai étendu mes mains vers toi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wirst du an den Toten Wunder tun? Oder werden die Schatten aufstehen, dich preisen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tu dominaris potestati maris; motum autem fluctuum ejus tu mitigas.