Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 88:5

"Cast off among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, Whom thou rememberest no more, And they are cut off from thy hand." — Psalms 88:5 (ASV)

Free among the dead ... —So the old versions, without exception, take chaphshî as an adjective, as in Job 3:19 (where it is used of an emancipated slave); 1 Samuel 17:25 (free from public burdens). This is also true of the separate house for lepers, who were cut off from society (2 Kings 15:5). Therefore, some refer the psalm to Uzziah.

The Targum explains, “freed from legal duties.” But plainly, the meaning here is exactly that of defunctus. The verse offers an instance of introverted parallelism, and this clause answers to they are cut off from thy hand. Gesenius, however, makes the Hebrew word a noun and renders, among the dead is my couch.

Whom thou. —The dead are “clean forgotten, out of mind” even to God.

From thy hand — that is, from the guiding, helping hand which, though stretched out for living people, does not reach to the grave.