The Meaning of Psalms 88:5 Explained

Psalms 88:5

KJV: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.

YLT: Among the dead -- free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off.

Darby: Prostrate among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand.

ASV: Cast off among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, Whom thou rememberest no more, And they are cut off from thy hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Free  among the dead,  like the slain  that lie  in the grave,  whom thou rememberest  no more: and they are cut off  from thy hand. 

What does Psalms 88:5 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 88:5 mean?

among the dead Adrift Like the slain who lie in the grave Whom no You remember more and they from Your hand are cut off
בַּמֵּתִ֗ים חָ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּמ֤וֹ חֲלָלִ֨ים ׀ שֹׁ֥כְבֵי קֶ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹ֣א זְכַרְתָּ֣ם ע֑וֹד וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה מִיָּדְךָ֥ נִגְזָֽרוּ

בַּמֵּתִ֗ים  among  the  dead 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
חָ֫פְשִׁ֥י  Adrift 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָפְשִׁי  
Sense: free.
כְּמ֤וֹ  Like 
Parse: Preposition
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
חֲלָלִ֨ים ׀  the  slain 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
שֹׁ֥כְבֵי  who  lie 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁכַב  
Sense: to lie down.
קֶ֗בֶר  in  the  grave 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶבֶר  
Sense: grave, sepulchre, tomb.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  Whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹ֣א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
זְכַרְתָּ֣ם  You  remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
ע֑וֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה  and  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
מִיָּדְךָ֥  from  Your  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
נִגְזָֽרוּ  are  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּזַר 
Sense: to cut, divide, cut down, cut off, cut in two, snatch, decree.