Psalms 88:5

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.

Free {H2670} among the dead {H4191}{H8801)}, like the slain {H2491} that lie {H7901}{H8802)} in the grave {H6913}, whom thou rememberest {H2142}{H8804)} no more: and they are cut off {H1504}{H8738)} from thy hand {H3027}.

left by myself among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave -you no longer remember them; they are cut off from your care.

I am forsaken among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, who are cut off from Your care.

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.

Commentary

Psalms 88:5 is a powerful and stark expression of the psalmist's profound despair and feeling of abandonment. It encapsulates the deep anguish of one who feels utterly cut off from divine remembrance and help, likening his state to that of the dead.

Context of Psalms 88:5

Psalm 88 is unique among the laments in the Psalter for its unremitting darkness, offering no resolution or glimmer of hope at its conclusion. Attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, a Levitical musician, this psalm is a raw outpouring of suffering, isolation, and a sense of divine abandonment. The psalmist describes his affliction as being like those who have already descended into the grave, experiencing a metaphorical death while still alive. This verse forms part of a lament where the psalmist feels his life is draining away, and he is as good as dead, forgotten by God and humankind.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Profound Despair: The verse vividly portrays a state of utter hopelessness, where the psalmist identifies with the deceased. He sees himself as "free among the dead," a chilling freedom from life's burdens only found in the grave.
  • Divine Abandonment: The core of the psalmist's anguish is the belief that God has forgotten him ("whom thou rememberest no more") and that he is "cut off from thy hand." This signifies a terrifying loss of God's protective care, intervention, and covenant faithfulness.
  • The Reality of Death: The imagery of "the slain that lie in the grave" emphasizes the finality and separation associated with death in ancient Israelite thought, particularly the concept of Sheol, the realm of the dead.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "free" (חָ׀ְשִׁי - chophshi) can mean "set at liberty" or "released." In this context, it carries a grim irony, suggesting a release from life's suffering only through the state of death. The psalmist is "at liberty" in the sense of being cast off, disconnected, and beyond the reach of the living. The phrase "whom thou rememberest no more" uses the Hebrew word zakhar (Χ–ΦΈΧ›Φ·Χ¨), which implies not just recalling, but actively acknowledging and acting on behalf of someone. To be forgotten by God in this sense means to be outside His active care and covenant relationship, a deep fear for any Israelite.

Related Scriptures

  • The extreme nature of this lament stands in contrast to many other psalms that begin in despair but end in hope or praise, such as Psalm 13:5.
  • The fear of being forgotten by God is a recurring theme, though often countered by God's promises, such as in Isaiah 49:15 where God declares He will never forget His people.
  • The Old Testament understanding of death and the grave (Sheol) as a place where there is no praise or active remembrance of God is also seen in Psalm 6:5 and Job 10:21-22.

Practical Application

Psalms 88:5, though profoundly dark, offers several insights for believers today:

  • Permission to Lament: It validates the experience of deep, seemingly hopeless despair. The Bible does not shy away from the raw realities of human suffering and the feeling of divine distance.
  • Understanding Spiritual Anguish: For those experiencing severe depression, isolation, or a sense of being spiritually abandoned, this psalm provides a voice for their pain, showing that even biblical figures wrestled with such feelings.
  • The Contrast of New Testament Hope: While the psalmist expresses a pre-resurrection understanding of death, the New Testament offers a profound counter-narrative through Christ's victory over death and the grave. Believers now have the assurance that death is not the end of God's remembrance or His hand.

This verse reminds us that faith journeys can include seasons of intense darkness, but it also points us to the ultimate hope found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who conquered the very realm the psalmist feared.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 53:8

    He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

  • Psalms 31:22

    For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

  • Genesis 19:29

    And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

  • Isaiah 38:10

    I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

  • Isaiah 38:12

    Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day [even] to night wilt thou make an end of me.

  • Psalms 31:12

    I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

  • Psalms 88:16

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