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Psalm 88:11

Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?

9My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
10Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.
11Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
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← Psalm 88:10Psalm 88:12 →
Notice

The question about loving kindness in the grave exposes the fear that death will silence the speaker’s declaration of God’s faithfulness.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What do you hear in the speaker’s question about declaring loving kindness in the grave?

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How does the word “faithfulness” shape what you would write to God about death?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

9 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 89:1A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving kindness of the LORD forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all …Both passages speak of declaring God’s loving kindness and faithfulness; Psalm 88 questions whether death will silence what Psalm 89 promises to proclaim.
Proverbs 15:11Sheol and Abaddon are before the LORD— how much more then the hearts of the children of men!Both passages speak of the realm of death in relation to God; Proverbs says that realm lies before the LORD.
Matthew 7:13“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it.The shared word is destruction: Psalm 88 fears the grave, while Matthew warns about the broad way that leads to destruction.
Job 21:30that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?The connection is limited to a dreaded fate: Psalm 88 questions praise in death, while Job speaks of calamity for the evil man.
Job 26:6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.Both passages name the realm of death; Psalm 88 asks about praise there, while Job says it has no covering before God.
2 Peter 2:1But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the …Destruction is the shared term, though Psalm 88 laments the grave and Peter warns of destruction brought on by false teachers.
Romans 9:22What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,Both mention destruction in relation to God, though the psalm pleads from distress and Romans speaks of wrath and patience.
Psalm 55:23But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.Both address God and mention destruction; Psalm 88 fears death, while Psalm 55 speaks of God bringing violent, deceitful people down.
Psalm 73:18Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.Destruction links these passages, though Psalm 88 asks about God’s faithfulness there and Psalm 73 describes God throwing people down to destruction.
Where this verse fits

Death and what comes after. grief. illness or diagnosis.

What the Bible says about death →What the Bible says about grief →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Write one prayer about your questions concerning death

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Encouragement

Your questions about death can be brought to God. This prayer names his loving kindness and faithfulness while leaving its fear of the grave unresolved.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 88:11. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 88 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).