Psalms 88 · Verse 18

Psalms 88:18

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
Psalms 88:18, King James Version

Psalms 88:18 in other translations

BSBYou have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.
WEBYou have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
ASVLover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness.
YLTThou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance is the place of darkness!
DARBYLover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
BBEYou have sent my friends and lovers far from me; I am gone from the memory of those who are dear to me.
WebsterLover and friend hast thou put far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness.

What does Psalms 88:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. into darkness--Better omit "into"--"mine acquaintances (are) darkness," the gloom of death, &c. (Job 17:13, 14).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Lover and friend - I have no comfort, and neither friend nor neiphbour to sympathize with me. Mine acquaintance into darkness - All have forsaken me; or מידעי מחשך meyuddai machsach, "Darkness is my companion." Perhaps he may refer to the death of his acquaintances; all were gone; there was none left to console him! That man has a dismal lot who has outlived all his old friends and acquaintances; well may such complain. In the removal of their friends they see little else than the triumphs of death. Khosroo, an eminent Persian poet, handles this painful subject with great delicacy and beauty in the following lines: - Ruftem sauee khuteereh bekerestem bezar Az Hijereh Doostan ke aseer fana shudend: Guftem Eeshah Kuja shudend? ve Khatyr Dad az sada jouab Eeshan Kuja! "Weeping, I passed the place where lay my friends Captured by death; in accents wild I cried, Where are they? And stern Fate, by Echoes voice, Returned in solemn sound the sad Where are they?" J. B. C.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 88:10-18

Departed souls may declare God's faithfulness, justice, and lovingkindness; but deceased bodies can neither receive God's favours in comfort, nor return them in praise. The psalmist resolved to continue in prayer, and the more so, because deliverance did not come speedily. Though our prayers are not soon answered, yet we must not give over praying. The greater our troubles, the more earnest and serious we should be…

Read the full comment on Psalms 88:10-18 →

Psalms 88:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הִרְחַ֣קְתָּhir.Chak.tayou have removed far awayH7368
מִ֭מֶּנִּיMi.me.nifrom meH4480
אֹהֵ֣ב'o.Hev[one who] lovesH157
וָרֵ֑עַva.Re.a'and a friendH7453
מְֽיֻדָּעַ֥יme.yu.da.'Aiacquaintances myH3045
מַחְשָֽׁךְ\׃mach.ShakhdarknessH4285

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 88:18

  • Psalms 88:8

    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.

  • Psalms 38:11

    My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

  • Job 19:12-15

    His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

  • Psalms 31:11

    I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lover.
8; 31:11; 38:11; Job 19:12-15
mine acquaintance.A figurative expression to denote that he now never saw them.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 88:17

    They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.

  • Psalms 88:18

    Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

Read all of Psalms 88

Psalms 88:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Has alejado de mí el amigo y el compañero; y mis conocidos se esconden en la tiniebla.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Elles m’ont environné comme des eaux tout le jour, elles m’ont entouré toutes ensemble.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Freund und Genossen hast du von mir entfernt; meine Bekannten sind Finsternis.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quoniam gloria virtutis eorum tu es, et in beneplacito tuo exaltabitur cornu nostrum.