Psalms 88:11 — Word Study
WLCהַיְסֻפַּ֣ר בַּקֶּ֣בֶר חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃
BSAto diemûwth to makeʻâsâh wonderpeleʼ ifʼim shaderâphâʼ -kamaiqûwm to give thanksyâdâh Selahçelâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר | ¿ will it be recounted | Particle, verb pual imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בַּקֶּ֣בֶר | in the grave | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ | covenant loyalty your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ | faithfulness your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃ | in Abaddon | Preposition, noun |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon ? |
| KJV | Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? |
| ASV | Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction? |
| YLT | Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction? |
| WEB | Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction? |
| BBE | Will the story of your mercy be given in the house of the dead? will news of your faith come to the place of destruction? |
Translations agree on the key terms of loving devotion and faithfulness in this verse.
The verse consists of a main inquiry followed by two prepositional phrases that specify the locations of concern.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 88:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament in Sufferinggenerated
Psalms 88:11 expresses a poignant inquiry about the recognition of God's loving devotion and faithfulness in the grave and in Abaddon. This verse is part of a lament where the psalmist grapples with feelings of abandonment and seeks to understand the implications of death on divine attributes. The surrounding verses emphasize the struggle between despair and the desire for divine intervention, as seen in Psalm 88:10 and Psalm 88:12.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 55:23 | But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You. |
| 2 | Psalm 73:18 | Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. |
| 3 | Job 21:30 | Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath. |
| 4 | Job 26:6 | Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. |
| 5 | Proverbs 15:11 | Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD— how much more the hearts of men! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חַסְדֶּךָ, chas.De.khagenerated
The word חֶסֶד (chesed) signifies kindness or loving devotion, often reflecting God's covenant loyalty towards His people. It is a noun that emphasizes the steadfast love and mercy that God extends, especially in times of need.
The construct form with the suffix indicates a personal relationship, meaning 'your loving devotion'. This highlights the psalmist's intimate appeal to God, questioning how such devotion can be acknowledged in the realm of death.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר (hay.su.Par) governs the main inquiry of the verse, asking about the possibility of proclaiming God's attributes in the grave. The structure is straightforward, presenting a question that highlights the contrast between life and death.
The sentence is composed of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, emphasizing the dual aspects of God's love and faithfulness in relation to death. The word order places the focus on the actions of recounting and the locations of the grave and Abaddon.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew terms are rendered with ποιήσεις and ἀναστήσουσιν, indicating a focus on the actions of making known or raising up. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of proclaiming God's attributes beyond mere recounting.
The Greek translation reflects a similar concern with the themes of life after death, but it may also imply a more active role for God in revealing His nature even in the face of destruction.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 88:11 asks whether God's loving devotion and faithfulness can be recognized in the grave and in Abaddon, places associated with death and destruction. The psalmist expresses a deep concern about the absence of God's attributes in such dire circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The term refers to God's steadfast love and kindness, which are central to His relationship with His people, emphasizing His mercy and loyalty.
The psalmist is grappling with the despair of death, wondering how God's attributes can be acknowledged in a place where life and praise seem to cease.
Abaddon refers to a place of destruction or ruin, often associated with death and the afterlife, highlighting the finality of death.
This verse encapsulates the struggle between despair and hope, as the psalmist seeks to understand God's presence and attributes in the face of death.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's loving devotion in my life, even during difficult times?
- How can I acknowledge God's faithfulness in my circumstances, especially when facing challenges?
- What does it mean to proclaim God's attributes in my daily life?
- How can I find hope in the promises of God even in the face of despair?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse includes reflections from Augustine of Hippo, who discusses God's loving-kindness and faithfulness in relation to death.
"Shall one show Your loving-kindness in the grave, or Your faithfulness in destruction?" [Psalms 88:11].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 88 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 88:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave?.... Where he saw himself now going, and where should he be detained, and not raised out of it, the lovingkindness of God to him, as his Son, and as
Read John Gill on Psalms 88 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 88 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI am not without hopes that thou hast a true kindness for me, and wilt faithfully perform thy gracious promises made to me, and to all that love thee and call upon thee in truth. But then this must be done speedily, or I shall be utterly incapable of such a mercy.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 88 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?Ver. 11. Shall thy loving kindness, &c.] The same again, and Psalms 88:12 a third time, pro more dolentium. See Psalms 6:5; Psalms 30:9.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 88 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(10-12) These verses probably contain the prayer tittered with the “stretched-out hands.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 88 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. Or thy faithfulness in destruction?] Faithfulness in God refers as well to his fulfilling his threatenings as to his keeping his promises. The wicked are threatened with such punishments as their crimes have deserved; but annihilation is no punishment. God therefore does not intend to annihilate the wicked; their destruction cannot declare the faithfulness of God.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 88 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. To proclaim God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness is the delight of His people (Psalms 40:10; Psalms 92:2), but in the grave they will neither have cause nor power to do it. These two attributes, so often coupled together, are the keynote of Psalms 89. ‘Destruction,’ Heb. Abaddon, is almost a proper name for Sheol as the place of ruin: elsewhere only in the ‘Wisdom literature,’ Job 26:6; Job 28:22; Job 31:12; Proverbs 15:11; Proverbs 27:20. Cp. Revelation 9:11, where it is the name of “the angel of the abyss,” Gk. Apollyon, ‘the Destroyer.’
Read Cambridge on Psalms 88 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleShall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? - Thy goodness; thy mercy. Shall anyone make it known there? shall it there be celebrated? Or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 88 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon ?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?
Tyndale line
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Shall thy louing kindenes be declared in the graue? or thy faithfulnes in destruction?
Strictly literal
Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction?
Is Your kindness recounted in the grave? Your faithfulness in destruction?
(88:12) Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
From the Latin
Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies.
Simplified
Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
Will the story of your mercy be given in the house of the dead? will news of your faith come to the place of destruction?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording for this verse, with all five words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this text across these traditions.
הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר בַּקֶּ֣בֶר חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 88:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
סָפַר (safar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to count or recount, with various forms indicating actions like declaring or rehearsing. The noun form סֹפֵר (sofer) refers to a scribe or secretary. The entries highlight its use in contexts of enumeration and record-keeping, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
סָפַר 107 vb. count, Pi. recount, relate
Qal 27
count things, to learn their number
number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon
Niph. be counted, numbered
Pi. 67 recount, rehearse, declare
Pu. be recounted, related, rehearsed
base
סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר n.m. enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
base
H5608a סָפַר count, Pi. recount, relate .. count things, to learn their number
. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon
. be counted, numbered
. recount, rehearse, declare
. be recounted, related, rehearsed
H5608b סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
5608 caphar saw-far'
a primitive root; 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. celebrate:--commune,
(ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew
forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
סָפַר (sa.phar) — to recount.
v
1) to count, recount, relate
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to count (things)
1a2) to number, take account of, reckon
1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered
1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare
1c1) to recount (something), rehearse
1c2) to talk
1c3) to count exactly or accurately
1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related
סֹפֵר (so.pher) — secretary.
1) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
1a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary
1b) learned man, scribe
Aramaic equivalent: sa.pher (סָפִר "scribe" H5613)
HTi/VPi3ms — Particle · verb pual imperfect third person masculine singularHTi/VPi3ms
קֶ֫בֶר (qeber) refers to a grave or sepulchre, indicating a burial place. It is derived from the root word for 'to bury' and is used in contexts related to tombs. The entries consistently define it as a place of interment without notable disagreement.
קֶ֫בֶר 67 n.m. grave, sepulchre
base
H6913 קֶ֫בֶר grave, sepulchre
6913 qeber, keh'-ber
or (feminine) qibrah {kib-raw'}; from 6912; a
sepulchre:--burying place, grave, sepulchre.
see HEBREW for 06912
קֶ֫בֶר (qe.ver) — grave.
grave, sepulchre, tomb
HRd/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
Grave
Among the ancient Hebrews graves were outside of cities in the open field (Luke 7:12; John 11:30). Kings (1 Kings 2:10) and prophets (1 Sam. 25:1) were generally buried within cities. Graves were generally grottoes or caves, natural or hewn out in rocks (Isa. 22:16; Matt. 27:60). There were family cemeteries (Gen. 47:29; 50:5; 2 Sam. 19:37). Public burial-places were assigned to the poor (Jer.…
[BURIAL, SEPULCHRES]
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) primarily means kindness or goodness, often referring to the kindness of people towards one another, especially towards the needy. It can also denote God's lovingkindness and mercy. Additionally, it has a secondary meaning of shame or reproach. The entries reflect a range of uses, from human interactions to divine attributes.
חֶ֫סֶד 247 n.m. goodness, kindness
of man:
kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
(rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
lovely appearance
of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
base
חֶ֫סֶד n.m. shame, reproach
base
H2617a חֶ֫סֶד goodness, kindness . of man: . kindness of men toward men, in doing favours and benefits
. kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable), mercy
. (rarely) affection of Isr. to י׳, love to God, piety
. lovely appearance
. of God: kindness, lovingkindness in condescending to the needs of his creatures.
H2617b חֶ֫סֶד shame, reproach
2617 checed kheh'-sed
from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety:
rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour,
good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful
(kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
see HEBREW for 02616
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — kindness.
goodness, kindness, faithfulness
חֶ֫סֶד (che.sed) — shame.
a reproach, shame
HNcmsc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (*emuwnah*) is built from the root of H529, indicating concepts of firmness and steadfastness. It encompasses meanings such as fidelity, trust, and stability. The entries consistently highlight its moral implications, particularly in relation to faithfulness.
אֱמוּנָה n.f. firmness, steadfastness, fidelity
lit. firmness, steadiness
steadfastness
faithfulness, trust
base
H530 אֱמוּנָה firmness, steadfastness, fidelity . lit. firmness, steadiness
. steadfastness
. faithfulness, trust
530 'emuwnah em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) >emunah {em-oo-naw'
feminine of 529; literally firmness; figuratively security;
morally fidelity:--faith(-ful, -ly, -ness, (man)), set
office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.
see HEBREW for 0529
אֱמוּנָה (e.mu.nah) — faithfulness.
firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness
HNcfsc/Sp2ms — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word אֲבַדּוֹן ('abaddown) refers to a place of destruction or ruin, often associated with Hades. It is derived from a root meaning 'to perish' and appears in contexts related to death and the afterlife, notably in Job and Proverbs. There is some discussion about its specific implications in relation to Sheol and the condition of the dead.
אֲבַדּוֹן n.f. ? Pr 27:20 abstr. nearly = n.pr. (place of) Destruction, Ruin, ’Abaddôn (cf. Syriac 𝔖 Jb 28:22 etc.)—אֲבַדּֽוֹן Jb 26:6 (+ 4 t.); abbrev. אבדה Kt אֲבַדּֽוֹ Qr Pr 27:20.—Place of ruin in Shᵉʼôl for lost or ruined dead, as development of earlier distinction of condition in Shᵉʼôl (v. שְׁאוֹל). Only in WisdLt; Jb 31:12; ∥ שׁאול Jb 26:6 Pr 15:11 27:20; ∥ מות Jb 28:22; ∥ קבר ψ…
Read the full entry →H11 אֲבַדּוֹן abstr. nearly = n. pr. (place of) Destruction, Ruin, ’Abaddôn
11 'abaddown ab-ad-done'
intensive from 6; abstract, a perishing; concrete,
Hades:--destruction.
see HEBREW for 06
אֲבַדּוֹן (a.vad.don) — Abaddon.
Abaddon, a place of destruction, destruction, ruin
HRd/Ntfsa — Preposition · nounHRd/Ntfsa
a-bad'-on ('abhaddon, "ruin," "perdition," "destruction"): Though "destruction" is commonly used in translating 'abhaddon, the stem idea is intransitive rather than passive--the idea of perishing, going to ruin, being in a ruined state, rather than that of being ruined, being destroyed.
The word occurs six times in the Old Testament, always as a place name in the sense in which Sheol is a place name. It denotes, in certain aspects, the world of the dead as constructed in the Hebrew imagination. It is a common mistake to understand such expressions in a too mechanical way. Like ourselves, the men of the earlier ages had to use picture language when they spoke of the conditions that existed after death, however their picturing of the matter may have differed from ours. In three instances Abaddon is parallel with Sheol (Job 26:6;
Abaddon
Destruction, the Hebrew name (equivalent to the Greek Apollyon, i.e., destroyer) of “the angel of the bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:11). It is rendered “destruction” in Job 28:22; 31:12; 26:6; Prov. 15:11; 27:20. In the last three of these passages the Revised Version retains the word “Abaddon.” We may regard this word as a personification of the idea of destruction, or as sheol, the realm of the dead.
See APOLLYON.
the destroyer