Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 88:5

5 Free among the dead , like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou remembrest no more : and they are cut off from thy hand .

Well-nigh discharged from the warfare of the present life, and entred as a member into the society of the dead; as Israelitish servants when they were made free were thereby made Denisons of the Commonwealth of Israel. I expect no other freedom from my miseries▪ but that which death gives, as Iob observes, Iob 3. 17, 18.

Whom thou seemest wholly to neglect and to bury in oblivion: for he speaks of these matters not as they are in truth, for he knew very well that forgetfulness was not incident to God, and that God did remember all the dead, and would call them to an account, but only as to sence and appearance and the opinion of the World, and the state and things of this life.

From the care and conduct of thy providence. Which is to be understood as the former clause. Or by thy hand. But our translation seems better to agree both with the foregoing branch which it explains and improves, and with the order of the words; for it seems improper after he had represented the persons as dead, and in their graves, to add that they are cut off, to wit, by death.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1+ letters]y thy [illegible: 1 word] ▪