Psalms 88:16

KJV

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

KJV (with Strong's)

Thy fierce wrath {H2740} goeth over {H5674}{H8804)} me; thy terrors {H1161} have cut me off {H6789}{H8768)}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me, your terrors have shriveled me up.

Berean Standard Bible

Your wrath has swept over me; Your terrors have destroyed me.

American Standard Version

Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 88:16 articulates a profound and unmitigated cry of despair from the psalmist, Heman the Ezrahite, who feels utterly overwhelmed by the direct and terrifying manifestation of God's wrath. This verse is a stark expression of suffering, where the psalmist perceives divine judgment as an inescapable, destructive force that has not merely afflicted him but has actively "cut him off," bringing him to the brink of annihilation and isolation, without any apparent hope of relief or restoration.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 88 stands as a unique and profoundly somber lament within the Psalter, often referred to as the "darkest" psalm due to its lack of a traditional turn from lament to praise or hope. It is attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, a rare individual outside the Davidic or Asaphic traditions to be credited with a psalm. The verses immediately preceding our text, such as those found in [Psalms 88:14-15](/psalms/88-14-15 "Psalms 88:14-15 - God's Perceived Rejection and Affliction"), describe God's perceived withdrawal and the psalmist's lifelong affliction, setting the stage for the intense declaration of divine wrath in verse 16. The psalm concludes without resolution in [Psalms 88:18](/psalms/88-18 "Psalms 88:18 - Isolation and Darkness"), emphasizing the psalmist's utter isolation and the darkness that has become his only companion, making the expression of wrath in verse 16 particularly poignant as a direct cause of this desolation.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While specific historical details about Heman the Ezrahite are scarce, the superscription links him to the "sons of Korah," a prominent Levitical family associated with temple music and worship, as noted in [1 Chronicles 6:33](/1_chronicles/6-33 "1 Chronicles 6:33 - Heman, the Musician"). This suggests the psalmist was likely a person deeply immersed in the religious life of Israel, making his feeling of divine abandonment all the more striking. The cultural understanding of suffering in ancient Israel often linked affliction to divine displeasure or judgment for sin, a concept elaborated in passages like [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses"). The psalmist's perception of "fierce wrath" and "terrors" reflects a worldview where God's active involvement in human affairs, even in judgment, was a given. The imagery of being "cut off" resonates with the fear of premature death, isolation from the community, and descent into Sheol, the shadowy realm of the dead, which was considered the ultimate separation from God's presence, as seen in [Psalms 6:5](/psalms/6-5 "Psalms 6:5 - No Remembrance in Sheol").
* **Key Themes:** Psalm 88, and specifically verse 16, powerfully expresses themes of unmitigated suffering, divine abandonment, and profound despair. The recurring motif throughout the psalm is the psalmist's sense of being overwhelmed by affliction, whether from illness, social isolation, or direct divine action. The "fierce wrath" and "terrors" highlight the theme of God's perceived hostility, a challenging theological concept within the broader biblical narrative of God's covenant faithfulness and love, which is often contrasted with His compassion, as in [Lamentations 3:31-33](/lamentations/3-31-33 "Lamentations 3:31-33 - God's Compassion Endures"). The verse also contributes to the theme of the psalmist's descent into the realm of death, as the terrors "cut him off," foreshadowing the ultimate separation from the living and from God's light, a theme explored further in [Psalms 88:3-6](/psalms/88-3-6 "Psalms 88:3-6 - Near to Sheol"). This psalm uniquely emphasizes the raw, unvarnished expression of human anguish, even when directed at God, and serves as a testament to the Bible's capacity to give voice to the darkest experiences of faith.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Wrath (Hebrew, _chârôwn'_):** This term (H2740) denotes a burning, intense anger or fury, often associated with God's righteous indignation. It implies a strong, active displeasure, not merely a passive state. Its usage here emphasizes the psalmist's perception that God's anger is not distant or abstract but a palpable, overwhelming force directly impacting him, like a consuming fire or an overwhelming flood, reflecting God's "sore displeasure" and "fury."
* **Terrors (Hebrew, _biʻûwthîym'_):** The Hebrew (H1161) refers to alarms or frightening things, divine visitations, or sudden, overwhelming dread. These are not just internal feelings of fear but external, active manifestations of God's power that induce terror. They are the instruments or expressions of God's wrath, causing profound psychological and spiritual distress, reinforcing the idea of an active, terrifying divine assault.
* **Cut off (Hebrew, _tsâmath'_):** The verb (H6789) means to extirpate, consume, destroy, or vanish. It conveys a sense of finality and utter destruction, both literally and figuratively. In this context, it suggests that God's terrors have not just afflicted the psalmist but have brought him to the point of complete annihilation, silencing his life, his voice, and his connection to the living, pushing him into the realm of the dead (Sheol).

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Thy fierce wrath goeth over me":** This clause vividly portrays God's wrath as an active, overwhelming force, like a wave or flood sweeping over the psalmist. The imagery suggests a complete engulfment, leaving no escape or refuge. It is not merely that the psalmist feels God's anger, but that this anger is a dynamic, moving entity that passes over him, implying a relentless, inescapable assault. The "fierce" nature of the wrath emphasizes its intensity and destructive power, indicating a profound and personal experience of divine displeasure.
* **"thy terrors have cut me off":** This second clause describes the direct consequence of God's wrath. The "terrors"—divine manifestations of dread and destruction—are personified as agents that have actively "cut off" the psalmist. This phrase signifies a state of being completely isolated, silenced, and brought to the brink of death or annihilation. It implies a severing of all ties: to life, to hope, to community, and even to God's sustaining presence, leaving the psalmist in utter despair and desolation.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 88:16 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the psalmist's profound anguish. **Personification** is evident in "Thy fierce wrath goeth over me," where wrath is depicted as an active, moving entity, like a flood or wave, overwhelming the psalmist. This is further reinforced by "thy terrors have cut me off," where terrors are given the agency to perform a destructive action, severing the psalmist's connection to life. The use of **Hyperbole** is present in the psalmist's declaration that he is "cut off," suggesting an extreme state of desolation and near-death, even if not literally dead at the moment of utterance. This exaggeration serves to emphasize the overwhelming nature of his suffering. Furthermore, the verse uses **Metaphor** to describe the wrath and terrors as forces that actively destroy and isolate, rather than merely causing discomfort. The entire verse functions as a powerful **Lament**, a form of poetic expression characterized by an outpouring of grief, complaint, and petition, often without a resolution of hope, which is particularly characteristic of Psalm 88.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 88:16 presents a challenging theological perspective, where God is perceived not as a distant or benevolent deity, but as the direct source of overwhelming suffering and terrifying judgment. This raw expression of divine wrath, experienced as a personal assault, highlights the biblical tension between God's justice and His mercy, and the human struggle to reconcile intense suffering with a loving God. It underscores the reality that faith can encompass moments of profound alienation and despair, where the believer feels utterly abandoned and even attacked by the very source of their hope. This psalm validates the experience of those who feel God's hand is against them, providing a biblical voice for the darkest nights of the soul, while implicitly inviting a deeper exploration of God's character and the nature of suffering.

* [Job 6:4](/job/6-4 "Job 6:4 - Job's Experience of God's Arrows")
* [Lamentations 3:1-18](/lamentations/3-1-18 "Lamentations 3:1-18 - The Prophet's Lament")
* [Psalm 102:10](/psalms/102-10 "Psalm 102:10 - God's Indignation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 88:16 offers a profound and unsettling mirror to the human experience of suffering, particularly when that suffering feels directly inflicted or allowed by God. It reminds us that the biblical narrative is not always one of triumphant faith and immediate resolution, but also includes the raw, unvarnished cries of those who feel utterly forsaken. For the believer, this verse validates the reality of spiritual struggle and the permission to voice even the most agonizing questions and accusations to God. It teaches us that authentic faith does not always require a façade of strength or understanding; sometimes, it is simply the desperate cry from the depths of despair. In a world where pain is often spiritualized away or met with platitudes, Psalm 88:16 stands as a testament to God's capacity to hear and hold even our most difficult emotions, reminding us that true lament, however dark, is still a form of prayer and engagement with the divine. It encourages empathy for those in profound spiritual or emotional darkness, acknowledging that God's presence can sometimes be perceived as a source of terror rather than comfort.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Psalm 88:16 challenge or affirm your understanding of God's character, especially concerning His wrath and justice?**
* **Have you ever experienced a time when you felt God's presence as overwhelming or even terrifying, rather than comforting? How did you respond?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the acceptable range of emotions and expressions within a relationship with God?**
* **How can we minister to or support others who feel "cut off" by God's terrors or fierce wrath, even if we don't fully understand their experience?**

### FAQ
**Does Psalm 88:16 imply that God is cruel or unjust?**

Answer: Psalm 88:16 reflects the psalmist's *perception* and *experience* of God's wrath and terrors, not necessarily a definitive theological statement on God's character. In moments of extreme suffering, individuals often interpret their pain as divine punishment or abandonment, even when God's ultimate purposes may be different. The Bible presents God as both just and merciful, capable of wrath against sin but also abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, as seen in [Exodus 34:6-7](/exodus/34-6-7 "Exodus 34:6-7 - The Lord's Compassion and Justice"). This verse gives voice to the raw, unmediated anguish of a person who feels overwhelmed by divine judgment, allowing for the full spectrum of human emotion to be expressed within the context of faith. It serves as a reminder that God can handle our honest, even painful, questions and accusations.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Psalm 88:16 portrays a profound sense of abandonment and overwhelming divine wrath, it finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a direct parallel of Jesus experiencing God's wrath for His own sin, but in His bearing the wrath due to humanity. On the cross, Jesus, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), became sin for us, experiencing a profound and unique separation from the Father as He absorbed the full weight of divine judgment against human sin, as described in [2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us"). His cry, "[My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")" (from [Psalm 22:1](/psalms/22-1 "Psalm 22:1 - My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?")), echoes the psalmist's sense of being "cut off" by divine action. Jesus perfectly identified with the depths of human suffering and separation from God, not as a result of His own sin, but as a substitutionary act. Through His suffering and death, the "fierce wrath" and "terrors" that would have "cut off" humanity were poured out upon Him, so that those who believe might never experience that ultimate separation but might instead find reconciliation and eternal life, as promised in [Romans 5:9-10](/romans/5-9-10 "Romans 5:9-10 - Justified by His Blood"). Thus, the despair of Psalms 88:16, though seemingly without hope, ultimately points to the one who entered the deepest darkness to bring the light of salvation.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 90:11

Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, [so is] thy wrath.

Psalms 102:10

Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

Revelation 6:17

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Romans 8:32

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Psalms 90:7

¶ For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Isaiah 53:4

¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:6

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.