The Meaning of Psalms 88:16 Explained

Psalms 88:16

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

YLT: Over me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off,

Darby: Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 88:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 88:1-18 - A Cry From The Waves
Most of the psalms which begin in sorrow end in exuberant joy and praise. This is an exception. There seems to be no break in the monotony of grief and despair. In Psalms 88:1-8 it would appear that the psalmist was oppressed by some loathsome disorder which made even his friends shrink from companionship. But it is a hopeful sign when, even in such circumstances, a man can still speak of God as "the God of my salvation."
In Psalms 88:9-18 the psalmist combats his despair by reminding God and himself that his has been a praying soul. Surely the Almighty will not forget his outstretched hands, nor the prayers that have anticipated the morning! It is a true argument. That you can pray at all is a sure sign that the divine Spirit is within your heart. From unknown depths He is helping your infirmity, and this proves that God has not forgotten or forsaken you. If just now life's bark is overwhelmed with difficulty, God rules the waves. The storm-wind will presently subside at His rebuke. Lover and friend will again stand round about you, and your soul will come back into light. God's days are not like man's-from morning to evening, but from dark to dawn. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 88

1  A prayer containing a grievous complaint

What do the individual words in Psalms 88:16 mean?

Over me has gone Your fierce wrath Your terrors have cut me off
עָ֭לַי עָבְר֣וּ חֲרוֹנֶ֑יךָ בִּ֝עוּתֶ֗יךָ צִמְּתוּתֻֽנִי

עָ֭לַי  Over  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עָבְר֣וּ  has  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
חֲרוֹנֶ֑יךָ  Your  fierce  wrath 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חָרֹון  
Sense: anger, heat, burning (of anger).
בִּ֝עוּתֶ֗יךָ  Your  terrors 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בִּעוּת  
Sense: terrors, alarms (occasioned by God).
צִמְּתוּתֻֽנִי  have  cut  me  off 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: צָמַת  
Sense: to put an end to, cut off, destroy, exterminate, extirpate.