Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion? Will Your wondersThe phrase "Your wonders" refers to the miraculous acts and divine interventions that God performs. In Hebrew, the word for "wonders" is "פלאות" (pele'ot), which signifies extraordinary events that inspire awe and reveal God's power and majesty. Throughout the Bible, God's wonders are often associated with His deliverance and protection of His people, such as the parting of the Red Sea or the provision of manna in the wilderness. These wonders serve as a testament to God's sovereignty and His ability to transcend natural laws. In the context of this psalm, the psalmist is questioning whether these divine acts can be recognized or appreciated in a state of darkness, suggesting a deep yearning for God's presence and intervention in times of despair. be known in the darkness
"Darkness" in this context symbolizes a state of spiritual desolation, ignorance, or adversity. The Hebrew word "חשך" (choshech) is often used to describe both physical and metaphorical darkness. Biblically, darkness can represent the absence of God's light and truth, as seen in Genesis 1:2, where darkness covered the face of the deep before God said, "Let there be light." The psalmist's inquiry about God's wonders being known in darkness reflects a profound struggle with feeling abandoned or distant from God's illuminating presence. It underscores the human condition of seeking divine revelation and hope amidst trials and uncertainties. or Your righteousness
"Righteousness" is a central attribute of God's character, denoting His justice, moral perfection, and faithfulness to His covenant. The Hebrew term "צדקה" (tsedaqah) encompasses both legal justice and ethical conduct, reflecting God's unwavering commitment to what is right and just. In the psalms, God's righteousness is often linked to His saving acts and His role as a just judge. The psalmist's question about God's righteousness being known suggests a longing for divine justice and vindication, especially when faced with the apparent triumph of evil or suffering. in the land of oblivion
The "land of oblivion" is a poetic expression for Sheol, the realm of the dead in ancient Hebrew thought. The Hebrew word "נשיה" (neshiyah) implies forgetfulness or being forgotten. In the cultural and historical context of the psalm, Sheol was perceived as a shadowy place where the dead reside, cut off from the living and from the active worship of God. The psalmist's lament questions whether God's attributes can be acknowledged or celebrated in such a place, highlighting the existential fear of being forgotten by God and the community. This phrase captures the depth of the psalmist's despair and the urgent plea for God's intervention before reaching a state of spiritual and physical oblivion. Persons / Places / Events 1. Sons of KorahThe authors of Psalm 88, a group of Levitical singers and musicians who played a significant role in temple worship. 2. Heman the EzrahiteTraditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 88, known for his wisdom and musical contributions. 3. DarknessSymbolic of despair, suffering, and the absence of God's presence. 4. Land of OblivionA metaphorical place representing death or a state of being forgotten, where God's wonders and righteousness seem absent. 5. God's Wonders and RighteousnessCentral themes of the Psalm, questioning their visibility and impact in times of deep distress. Teaching Points The Reality of SufferingPsalm 88 acknowledges the depth of human suffering and despair, reminding us that it is okay to bring our deepest fears and questions to God. God's Presence in DarknessEven when we feel abandoned, God is present. Our understanding of His wonders and righteousness may be obscured, but they remain true. The Importance of LamentThis Psalm teaches us the value of lament in our spiritual journey, allowing us to express our pain and seek God's intervention. Hope Beyond DespairWhile the Psalm ends in darkness, the broader biblical account assures us of hope and redemption through Christ. Community SupportIn times of personal darkness, the support of a faith community can be vital in reminding us of God's promises and presence. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Psalm 88:12 reflect the human experience of feeling distant from God, and how can we relate this to our own lives? 2. In what ways can the themes of darkness and oblivion in this Psalm help us understand the struggles of biblical figures like Job or Hezekiah? 3. How can we apply the practice of lament in our prayer life, and what benefits might it bring to our relationship with God? 4. How do other scriptures, such as John 1:5 and Romans 8:38-39, provide hope and assurance in contrast to the despair expressed in Psalm 88? 5. What role can the church community play in supporting individuals who feel they are in a "land of oblivion," and how can we be more effective in this ministry? Connections to Other Scriptures Job 10:21-22Similar themes of darkness and the land of forgetfulness, where Job expresses his anguish and sense of abandonment. Psalm 6:5Echoes the concern that in death, there is no remembrance or praise of God, highlighting the psalmist's plea for deliverance. Isaiah 38:18-19Hezekiah's prayer, emphasizing that the living, not the dead, can praise and proclaim God's faithfulness. John 1:5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it, offering hope that God's presence can penetrate even the deepest despair. Romans 8:38-39Assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God, providing comfort amidst feelings of abandonment. People Abaddon, Ethan, Heman, Korah, Mahalath, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Dark, Darkness, Dead, Deeds, Forgetfulness, Memory, Oblivion, Righteous, Righteousness, Saving, WondersDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 88:1-18 5831 depression
8613 prayer, persistence Psalm 88:3-18 5265 complaints Psalm 88:10-12 4811 darkness, symbol of sin Psalm 88:11-12 9540 Sheol Library Out of the Deep of Doubt, Darkness, and Hell.
O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night unto Thee. Oh! let my prayer enter into Thy presence. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh unto Hell. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in a place of darkness, and in the deep.--Ps. lxxxviii. 1, 2. If I go down to Hell, Thou art there also. Yea, the darkness is no darkness with Thee; but the night is as clear as the day.--Ps. cxxxix. 7, 11. I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my calling. …
Charles Kingsley—Out of the DeepHow to Make Use of Christ as the Truth, that we May Get Our Case and Condition Cleared up to Us.
The believer is oft complaining of darkness concerning his case and condition, so as he cannot tell what to say of himself, or what judgment to pass on himself, and he knoweth not how to win to a distinct and clear discovery of his state and condition. Now, it is truth alone, and the Truth, that can satisfy them as to this. The question then is, how they shall make use of, and apply themselves to this truth, to the end they may get the truth of their condition discovered to them. But first let us …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life How a Desolate Man Ought to Commit Himself into the Hands of God
O Lord, Holy Father, be Thou blessed now and evermore; because as Thou wilt so it is done, and what Thou doest is good. Let Thy servant rejoice in Thee, not in himself, nor in any other; because Thou alone art the true joy, Thou art my hope and my crown, Thou art my joy and my honour, O Lord. What hath Thy servant, which he received not from Thee, even without merit of his own? Thine are all things which Thou hast given, and which Thou hast made. I am poor and in misery even from my youth up,(1) …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit His Past Work.
His past work was accomplished by Him when he became incarnate. It was finished when He died on Calvary's cross. We have therefore to consider first of all these fundamentals of our faith. I. The Work of the Son of God is foreshadowed and predicted in the Old Testament Scriptures. II. The incarnation of the Son of God. III. His Work on the cross and what has been accomplished by it. I. Through the Old Testament Scriptures, God announced beforehand the work of His Son. This is a great theme and one …
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ How is Christ, as the Life, to be Applied by a Soul that Misseth God's Favour and Countenance.
The sixth case, that we shall speak a little to, is a deadness, occasioned by the Lord's hiding of himself, who is their life, and "the fountain of life," Ps. xxxvi. 9, and "whose loving-kindness is better than life," Ps. lxiii. 3, and "in whose favour is their life," Ps. xxx. 5. A case, which the frequent complaints of the saints manifest to be rife enough, concerning which we shall, 1. Shew some of the consequences of the Lord's hiding his face, whereby the soul's case will appear. 2. Shew the …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Letter xvi to Rainald, Abbot of Foigny
To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny Bernard declares to him how little he loves praise; that the yoke of Christ is light; that he declines the name of father, and is content with that of brother. 1. In the first place, do not wonder if titles of honour affright me, when I feel myself so unworthy of the honours themselves; and if it is fitting that you should give them to me, it is not expedient for me to accept them. For if you think that you ought to observe that saying, In honour preferring one another …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Letter xxiv (Circa A. D. 1126) to Oger, Regular Canon
To Oger, Regular Canon [34] Bernard blames him for his resignation of his pastoral charge, although made from the love of a calm and pious life. None the less, he instructs him how, after becoming a private person, he ought to live in community. To Brother Oger, the Canon, Brother Bernard, monk but sinner, wishes that he may walk worthily of God even to the end, and embraces him with the fullest affection. 1. If I seem to have been too slow in replying to your letter, ascribe it to my not having …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux The Wrath of God
What does every sin deserve? God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.' Matt 25: 41. Man having sinned, is like a favourite turned out of the king's favour, and deserves the wrath and curse of God. He deserves God's curse. Gal 3: 10. As when Christ cursed the fig-tree, it withered; so, when God curses any, he withers in his soul. Matt 21: 19. God's curse blasts wherever it comes. He deserves also God's wrath, which is …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire Until the Collapse of the Western Empire and the First Schism Between the East and the West, or Until About A. D. 500
In the second period of the history of the Church under the Christian Empire, the Church, although existing in two divisions of the Empire and experiencing very different political fortunes, may still be regarded as forming a whole. The theological controversies distracting the Church, although different in the two halves of the Graeco-Roman world, were felt to some extent in both divisions of the Empire and not merely in the one in which they were principally fought out; and in the condemnation …
Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History Sense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son.
For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. Rom. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. Ps. xlix. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' (Isa. vi. 8). But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, …
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius Of Faith. The Definition of It. Its Peculiar Properties.
1. A brief recapitulation of the leading points of the whole discussion. The scope of this chapter. The necessity of the doctrine of faith. This doctrine obscured by the Schoolmen, who make God the object of faith, without referring to Christ. The Schoolmen refuted by various passages. 2. The dogma of implicit faith refuted. It destroys faith, which consists in a knowledge of the divine will. What this will is, and how necessary the knowledge of it. 3. Many things are and will continue to be implicitly …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 88:12 NIVPsalm 88:12 NLTPsalm 88:12 ESVPsalm 88:12 NASBPsalm 88:12 KJV
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