The Meaning of Psalms 88:18 Explained

Psalms 88:18

KJV: Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

YLT: Thou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance is the place of darkness!

Darby: Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.

ASV: Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Lover  and friend  hast thou put far  from me, [and] mine acquaintance  into darkness. 

What does Psalms 88:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 88:1-18 - A Cry From The Waves
Most of the psalms which begin in sorrow end in exuberant joy and praise. This is an exception. There seems to be no break in the monotony of grief and despair. In Psalms 88:1-8 it would appear that the psalmist was oppressed by some loathsome disorder which made even his friends shrink from companionship. But it is a hopeful sign when, even in such circumstances, a man can still speak of God as "the God of my salvation."
In Psalms 88:9-18 the psalmist combats his despair by reminding God and himself that his has been a praying soul. Surely the Almighty will not forget his outstretched hands, nor the prayers that have anticipated the morning! It is a true argument. That you can pray at all is a sure sign that the divine Spirit is within your heart. From unknown depths He is helping your infirmity, and this proves that God has not forgotten or forsaken you. If just now life's bark is overwhelmed with difficulty, God rules the waves. The storm-wind will presently subside at His rebuke. Lover and friend will again stand round about you, and your soul will come back into light. God's days are not like man's-from morning to evening, but from dark to dawn. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 88

1  A prayer containing a grievous complaint

What do the individual words in Psalms 88:18 mean?

You have put far from me Loved one and friend [And] my acquaintances into darkness
הִרְחַ֣קְתָּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי אֹהֵ֣ב וָרֵ֑עַ מְֽיֻדָּעַ֥י מַחְשָֽׁךְ

הִרְחַ֣קְתָּ  You  have  put  far 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
מִ֭מֶּנִּי  from  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
אֹהֵ֣ב  Loved  one 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
וָרֵ֑עַ  and  friend 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
מְֽיֻדָּעַ֥י  [And]  my  acquaintances 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מַחְשָֽׁךְ  into  darkness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַחְשָׁךְ  
Sense: dark place, darkness, secrecy.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 88:18?

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