Free Among the Dead - Psalms 88:5

In Psalms eighty eight the Psalmist said, “I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength”, and in chapter eighty eight and verse five of Psalms the Psalmist shared about the, “free among the dead” where we read,

Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave,

whom you remember no more: and they are cut off from your hand.

The verse begins, “Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, ...” The Psalmist began with the words, “Free among the dead” or “exempt and liberated separate and apart in the company of and midst of people who have died, been killed or executed”, “like the slain” which means “similar and in likeness to the fatally wounded, pierced and profaned people” “that lie in the grave” or “who rest, are lain and take rest within the sepulcher or tomb”. The Psalmist considered himself to be like people who have been left in the company of people who are like corpses in the tomb.

The verse goes on to say, “whom you remember no more: and they are cut off from your hand.” The Psalmist continued with the words, “whom you remember no more” or “that you, Jehovah God, do not call to mind, recall or mention in any going around, continuance or persistence”: “and they are cut off” which means “and they, the people who Jehovah God does not recall, exist as exterminated, destroyed and snatched away” “from your hand” or “separate and apart from your, Jehovah God's, hand of strength, power and might”. The Psalmist considered himself to be like the people who are in the tomb who are no longer called to mind by Jehovah God and snatched away from His hand of power and might.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how the Psalmist considered himself to be like people who have died by execution and are lying within a sepulcher. These people seem to be forgotten and snatched away from Jehovah God's power and might. We can imagine how abandoned and lonely the Psalmist was at this point. However, Jehovah God knew exactly where he was and what he was going through. God loves people, and He cares about all of us. He knows our conditions, and He desires to save us from our sins so we may have a personal relationship with Him. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and accompany us in whatever conditions we encounter or however we are feeling.

Next time the Psalmist says, “you have laid me in the lowest pit”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".