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Day 307

Psalm 88:10a "Will You work wonders for the dead?"

Day 307 – Psalm 88

“Will You work wonders for the dead?” Psalm 88:10a

CONCERNED ABOUT LIFE ON EARTH

The psalmist Heman the Ezrahite continued to borrow the language of King David in the following text.

“Will You work wonders for the dead?
Shall the dead arise and praise You?”
Psalm 88:10

We are reminded of a psalm that David wrote where he expressed similar thoughts.

“What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?”
Psalm 30:9

1. “Will You work wonders for the dead?”

a) All God’s wonders (in the Old Testament) involved the living.
b) Many mighty signs and wonders were performed for Israel (Deuteronomy 4:34).
i) The mighty miracles (plagues) performed in the land of Egypt (Exodus 4-12).
ii) The miraculous provision for the children of Israel as they trekked through the wilderness (Exodus, Numbers).
c) No wonders were performed for the dead.

2. “Shall the dead arise and praise You?”

a) It was determined by God that man can only die once (Hebrews 9:27).
b) Once death occurred, man was no more.
c) The dead would not be able to sing praise to the Lord.

WHAT ABOUT THE SOUL?

In Psalm 16, the psalmist David wrote with great confidence about the hereafter.

“For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
Psalm 16:10

Did Heman the Ezrahite believe in the afterlife? We may safely assume so. However, the focus of Psalm 88 was not on the afterlife. Even though Heman believed in the hereafter, his main concern was for the life in the here and now.