Psalms 6:5

5 For none there is in death, that is mindful of thee; but in hell who shall acknowledge to thee? (For there is no one among the dead, who remembereth thee; who shall praise thee in Sheol, or the land of the dead?/who shall praise thee in the grave?)

Psalms 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 6:5

For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee
Of the goodness, truth, power, and faithfulness of God; no notice can be taken nor mention, made either of the perfections or works of God, whether of nature or of grace, by a dead man to others; he is wholly useless to men on earth with respect to these things;

in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
for mercies temporal or spiritual; the dead cannot praise the Lord among men, only the living; see ( Psalms 30:9 ) ( 115:17 ) ( Isaiah 38:18 Isaiah 38:19 ) ; wherefore the psalmist desires that he might live and praise the Lord: this argument is taken from the glory of God, which end cannot be answered among men by death, as by life. It does not follow from hence that the soul either dies or sleeps with the body, and is inactive until the resurrection morn, neither of which are true; or that the souls of departed saints are unemployed in heaven; they are always before the throne, and serve the Lord day and night; they remember, with the utmost gratitude and thankfulness, all the goodness and grace of God unto them, and praise him for all his wondrous works: but the sense is, that when a saint is dead, he can no more serve and glorify God on earth among men.

Psalms 6:5 In-Context

3 And my soul is troubled greatly; but thou, Lord, how long? (And my soul is greatly troubled; but thou, O Lord, how long shalt thou wait?)

4 Lord, be thou converted/be thou turned again, and deliver my soul; make thou me safe, for thy mercy. (Lord, return thou, and rescue my soul; save thou me, in thy mercy/for the sake of thy love.)

5 For none there is in death, that is mindful of thee; but in hell who shall acknowledge to thee? (For there is no one among the dead, who remembereth thee; who shall praise thee in Sheol, or the land of the dead?/who shall praise thee in the grave?)

6 I travailed in my wailing, I shall wash my bed by each night; I shall moisten, either make wet, my bedstraw with my tears. (I am travailed, or made weary, from all my wailing, and each night I wash my bed with my weeping; yea, I moisten my bedstraw with my tears.)

7 Mine eye is troubled of strong vengeance; I wax eld among all mine enemies. (My eyes be full of grief; they grow old because of all my enemies.)