Psalm 88 Study Notes

88:8 The Hebrew word for repulsive (to‘evah) often describes unethical practices such as child sacrifice or idolatry (“detestable” in Dt 12:31; 27:15). Those who committed such heinous acts were ceremonially unclean and were ostracized from the community.

88:9 The hands being spread out implies submission and helplessness.

88:10-12 A series of four rhetorical questions expect negative answers, typical of disputation speeches. The psalmist asked if God performed miracles on behalf of the dead in order to receive praise in the grave. On the contrary, God blesses the living to receive glory on earth and in heaven. Departed spirits could be translated as “shades,” a figurative expression for “spirits of the dead” (Jb 26:5; Is 14:9; 26:14,19). Abaddon, a place of destruction, is synonymous with Sheol or the Pit (Jb 26:6; 28:22; Pr 15:11).

88:13-14 Prayers were often answered in the morning (5:3; 90:14; 143:8), so the psalmist, feeling his prayer had been ignored, accused God of rejecting him as one who was unclean.

88:15 The psalmist’s distress has lasted his whole life.

88:16-18 Terrors acted as the Lord’s agents of destruction (Jb 6:4) against the psalmist. Typically, God exercised his “terror” against enemies (Dt 32:25; Jb 13:21).