The Meaning of Psalms 88:8 Explained

Psalms 88:8

KJV: Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

YLT: Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, Thou hast made me an abomination to them, Shut up -- I go not forth.

Darby: Thou hast put my familiar friends far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

ASV: Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou hast put away  mine acquaintance  far  from me; thou hast made  me an abomination  unto them: [I am] shut up,  and I cannot come forth. 

What does Psalms 88:8 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 88:8 mean?

You have put away my acquaintances far from me You have made me an abomination to them [I am] shut up and cannot I get out
הִרְחַ֥קְתָּ מְיֻדָּעַ֗י מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי שַׁתַּ֣נִי תוֹעֵב֣וֹת לָ֑מוֹ כָּ֝לֻ֗א וְלֹ֣א אֵצֵֽא

הִרְחַ֥קְתָּ  You  have  put  away 
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.
מְיֻדָּעַ֗י  my  acquaintances 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי  far  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.
שַׁתַּ֣נִי  You  have  made  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
תוֹעֵב֣וֹת  an  abomination 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: תֹּועֵבָה  
Sense: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable.
לָ֑מוֹ  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
כָּ֝לֻ֗א  [I  am]  shut  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: כָּלָא 
Sense: to restrict, restrain, withhold, shut up, keep back, refrain, forbid.
וְלֹ֣א  and  cannot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֵצֵֽא  I  get  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.