Psalms 88:11
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Original Language Analysis
הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר
be declared
H5608
הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר
be declared
Strong's:
H5608
Word #:
1 of 5
properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e., (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e., celebra
חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ
Shall thy lovingkindness
H2617
חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ
Shall thy lovingkindness
Strong's:
H2617
Word #:
3 of 5
kindness; by implication (towards god) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
Historical Context
Abaddon appears six times in the Old Testament, always referring to the realm of the dead. Revelation 9:11 personifies it as "the angel of the bottomless pit." The ancient Israelite understanding that death ended the declaration of God's faithfulness made earthly life precious—every day was an opportunity to testify to God's chesed that would be lost at death.
Questions for Reflection
- How does knowing that God's <em>chesed</em> (steadfast love) reaches even to the grave change your perspective on death?
- When life circumstances feel like "destruction," how can you still declare God's lovingkindness?
- In what ways does Christ's descent to the dead demonstrate the extent of God's faithfulness?
Analysis & Commentary
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? (הַיְסֻפַּר בַּקֶּבֶר חַסְדֶּךָ, hayesupar bakever chasdekha)—The word chesed (חֶסֶד) is God's covenant loyalty, faithful love, the very essence of His character toward His people. Can this chesed be recounted, declared, proclaimed among the dead? The psalmist assumes not—death silences testimony. Or thy faithfulness in destruction? (אֱמוּנָתְךָ בָּאֲבַדּוֹן, emunatekha ba-avadon)—Abaddon means destruction, ruin, perdition, used as a name for the realm of the dead (Job 26:6; Proverbs 15:11).
The irony is profound: the psalmist questions whether God's faithfulness can be known in the place of destruction, yet he is experiencing that very destruction now while still alive. His situation feels like Abaddon already. Still, the New Testament reveals that Christ descended into destruction itself, proclaiming victory even to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19), demonstrating that God's chesed reaches even to the grave.