Psalm 88 4

Psalm 88:4 kjv

I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

Psalm 88:4 nkjv

I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength,

Psalm 88:4 niv

I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength.

Psalm 88:4 esv

I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength,

Psalm 88:4 nlt

I am as good as dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.

Psalm 88 verses

Psalm 88 4 Meaning

This verse powerfully expresses the psalmist's profound state of despair, indicating a sense of being appointed or already condemned to death, likened to those who are already in the grave or approaching it. The speaker feels utterly devoid of physical and spiritual strength, helpless and unable to sustain himself, further reinforcing the imminent sense of an end. It is a cry from the deepest point of affliction, where the psalmist identifies with the dead and those beyond hope.

Psalm 88 4 Context

Psalm 88 is uniquely characterized as the darkest psalm in the entire Psalter, devoid of any traditional shift towards hope or resolution at its conclusion. It is a raw lament, likely composed by Heman the Ezrahite (or attributed to his lineage, "the Ezrahite"), a man known for wisdom (1 Ki 4:31). The psalmist experiences overwhelming physical and emotional affliction, feeling alienated from loved ones, and, most profoundly, feeling abandoned by God Himself. This verse specifically portrays the depth of his conviction that he is already effectively dead or condemned to death. In the ancient Israelite context, "the pit" (Sheol) was understood not just as a grave, but a realm of shadowy existence where there was no knowledge, praise of God, or strength (Isa 38:18, Ps 6:5). The psalmist's complaint subtly pushes against the simplistic retribution theology that prosperity always follows righteousness, and suffering always implies sin. Instead, it powerfully expresses suffering from what seems an arbitrary, unjust affliction allowed by God, despite apparent faithfulness.

Psalm 88 4 Word analysis

• I am counted among (נֶחְשַׁבְתִּי – neḥshavti): This Hebrew verb, derived from ḥāshaḇ (to count, reckon, impute, devise), is in the Hithpael stem, suggesting a reflective or passive sense, "I have been reckoned/considered" or "I consider myself." It signifies that the psalmist perceives himself as formally categorized or appointed to a particular group or fate. It is not merely a statement of feeling but of an established, almost judicial, reality. It implies a sense of a foregone conclusion, a doom that has already been decided and applied to him.
• those who go down (יוֹרְדֵי – yordey): This is the active participle plural construct form of the verb yarad (to go down, descend). It refers to "descenders" or "those who are descending." It emphasizes an active movement towards the destination.
• to the pit (בּוֹר – bor): This term primarily means a "cistern," "well," "pit," or "dungeon." In a spiritual or existential sense, bor is often used interchangeably with "Sheol" (שְׁאוֹל), the realm of the dead, or a place of great destruction and confinement. It conveys not just a physical hole but a metaphorical abyss of death, decay, and hopelessness.
• I am like one of those (כְּגֶבֶר – k'gever): kĕ means "like" or "as." Gever (גֶּבֶר) means "man" in the sense of a strong or mighty man, often highlighting masculine strength. Here, paradoxically, this "man" is identified by a complete lack of strength. It refers to an individual, often used for any adult male, so "like a man" or "like an individual." The implication is a comparison to a generic, albeit pitiable, state of being.
• who have no strength (אֵין־אֱיָל – ein 'eyal): Ein (אֵין) means "there is not" or "nothing." 'Eyal (אֱיָל) denotes "strength," "power," or "might" (related to 'ayil, ram, a symbol of strength). The phrase describes an absolute and total absence of vital energy, vigor, or capacity to act or resist. It underscores the psalmist's profound physical and spiritual exhaustion and inability to help himself.

• "I am counted among those who go down to the pit": This phrase groups the psalmist with the dead or dying, signifying a state of profound hopelessness and imminent demise. It implies an already settled destiny, as if he has been pre-assigned to death, intensifying the sense of a grim, inescapable fate.
• "I am like one of those who have no strength": This second part functions in parallelism, elaborating on the consequence and immediate reality of the "pit" identity. The psalmist’s condition is one of absolute powerlessness, an utter lack of vital force that renders him inert and helpless, unable to fight his decline towards the grave. The combination paints a picture of being physically and existentially abandoned and fading away.

Psalm 88 4 Bonus section

Psalm 88 is often studied as the most mournful and distressing of all the psalms, standing out for its lack of a hopeful conclusion, a hallmark of typical lament psalms. It gives full expression to human desolation and provides a biblical space for profound despair, showing that such honest cries are not excluded from scripture. Some biblical scholars and theological interpretations connect this psalm, and particularly verses like Psalm 88:4, deeply to the experience of Christ during His passion, His descent into Hades (as interpreted in certain creeds and traditions), and His feeling of being forsaken on the cross. The psalmist's experience here foreshadows the ultimate suffering of the Messiah, who truly was "counted among those who go down to the pit" (Isa 53:12; Mt 27:38; 1 Pet 3:19) and experienced total human weakness, taking on the full weight of sin and its consequence (death) without human or divine strength in that moment (Mt 27:46).

Psalm 88 4 Commentary

Psalm 88:4 distills the psalmist's harrowing experience into two stark realities: a fatal decree and a terminal weakness. The phrase "I am counted among those who go down to the pit" expresses an acute sense of being pre-assigned to the realm of death, as if fate has sealed his destiny before his physical end. This is more than merely acknowledging a future possibility; it's a present classification, a spiritual and emotional death that has already commenced. Coupled with "I am like one of those who have no strength," the verse portrays utter debility – not just exhaustion, but an absolute cessation of vigor. The psalmist identifies completely with the dead, finding himself in an anemic state akin to those beyond the grasp of life. This verse, therefore, captures the essence of abandonment, a profound, unmitigated despair where the boundaries between life and death have blurred, and the self is submerged in weakness and impending doom, lacking even the strength to cry out effectively. It highlights the raw, painful honesty of human suffering when one feels utterly forsaken by both man and God.