Psalm 88:5 conveys a desperate condition of isolation and affliction, yet leads believers to trust God with honest lament while anticipating the hope revealed in Christ.
“Forsaken among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And they are cut off from Your hand.” (v.5) appears in a psalm attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, who served as one of the key musical leaders in King David’s time around 1000-970 B.C. This verse speaks to the psalmist’s feeling of being so overcome by affliction that he likens himself to those already in the realm of the dead. By calling himself “forsaken among the dead” (v.5), he expresses a profound level of grief and isolation, suggesting he believes he can find no help or hope apart from God’s intervention. The mention of being “cut off” (v.5) evokes a sense of finality, reinforcing the psalmist’s perception that he is beyond all rescue.
In the broader context of Psalm 88, the psalmist does not shy away from distress or despair; instead, he voices his pain to the Lord repeatedly. The phrase “Whom You remember no more” (v.5) underscores a deep sense of spiritual abandonment. This theme of feeling forsaken reflects a similar lamentation expressed by Jesus on the cross in Matthew 27:46, where He calls out to God in His moment of utmost anguish. Although the psalmist’s cries do not provide immediate relief, they teach us that pouring our pain out to God is still an act of worship—an honest expression of our dependence on Him, even when the weight of life’s burdens feels insurmountable.
Psalm 88 overall stands out among the lament psalms for its stark honesty and minimal expressions of hope, reminding us that sometimes faith includes walking through seasons of darkness before light dawns again. In acknowledging the raw intensity of suffering, this verse invites us to trust God through honest prayer, believing that He hears us even when our circumstances do not seem to change. In the New Testament, Jesus’s triumph over death (Luke 24:6-7) offers hope that God’s ultimate answer to human despair is found in Christ, who experienced forsakenness on our behalf.
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Psalms 88:5 meaning
“Forsaken among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And they are cut off from Your hand.” (v.5) appears in a psalm attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, who served as one of the key musical leaders in King David’s time around 1000-970 B.C. This verse speaks to the psalmist’s feeling of being so overcome by affliction that he likens himself to those already in the realm of the dead. By calling himself “forsaken among the dead” (v.5), he expresses a profound level of grief and isolation, suggesting he believes he can find no help or hope apart from God’s intervention. The mention of being “cut off” (v.5) evokes a sense of finality, reinforcing the psalmist’s perception that he is beyond all rescue.
In the broader context of Psalm 88, the psalmist does not shy away from distress or despair; instead, he voices his pain to the Lord repeatedly. The phrase “Whom You remember no more” (v.5) underscores a deep sense of spiritual abandonment. This theme of feeling forsaken reflects a similar lamentation expressed by Jesus on the cross in Matthew 27:46, where He calls out to God in His moment of utmost anguish. Although the psalmist’s cries do not provide immediate relief, they teach us that pouring our pain out to God is still an act of worship—an honest expression of our dependence on Him, even when the weight of life’s burdens feels insurmountable.
Psalm 88 overall stands out among the lament psalms for its stark honesty and minimal expressions of hope, reminding us that sometimes faith includes walking through seasons of darkness before light dawns again. In acknowledging the raw intensity of suffering, this verse invites us to trust God through honest prayer, believing that He hears us even when our circumstances do not seem to change. In the New Testament, Jesus’s triumph over death (Luke 24:6-7) offers hope that God’s ultimate answer to human despair is found in Christ, who experienced forsakenness on our behalf.