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Tehillim 88
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Tehillim 88
Orthodox Jewish Bible
88 (Shir. Mizmor of the Bnei Korach. For the one directing. According to Machalat le‘annot. Maskil of Herman the Ezrachi.) Hashem Elohei Yeshuati (G-d of my salvation), I have cried out yom valailah before Thee.
2 (3) Let my tefillah come before Thee; incline Thine ear unto my cry;
3 (4) For my nefesh is full of troubles; and my life draweth near unto Sheol.
4 (5) I am counted with them that go down into the bor (pit); I am like a gever (man) that hath no strength;
5 (6) Forsaken among the mesim, like the slain that lie in the kever, whom Thou rememberest no more; and nigzaru (they are cut off, excluded; see Isa 53:8) from Thy Yad (hand, power, care).
6 (7) Thou hast laid me in the lowest bor (pit), in darkness, in the deeps.
7 (8) Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and Thou hast overwhelmed me with kol mishbarecha (all Thy waves, breakers). Selah.
8 (9) Thou hast estranged mine acquaintances far from me; Thou hast made me to’evot unto them; I am shut up, and I cannot escape.
9 (10) Mine eye groweth dim by reason of oni (affliction); Hashem, I have called daily upon Thee, I have stretched up my hands unto Thee.
10 (11) Wilt Thou show wonders to the mesim? Shall the lifeless arise and praise Thee? Selah.
11 (12) Shall Thy chesed be declared in the kever? Or Thy emunah in Avaddon?
12 (13) Shall Thy wonders be known in the choshech? And Thy tzedakah in the Eretz Neshiyyah (land of forgetfulness, oblivion)?
13 (14) But unto Thee have I cried, Hashem; and in the boker shall my tefillah come before Thee.
14 (15) Hashem, why castest Thou off my nefesh? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me?
15 (16) I am afflicted and govei’a (one being close to death) from my youth up; while I suffer Thy terrors I am distraught.
16 (17) Thy charon (fierce wrath) goeth over me; Thy terrors have flayed me.
17 (18) They came round about me daily like mayim; they close in, engulfing me.
18 (19) Ohev (lover) and re’a (companion) hast Thou estranged from me, and mine acquaintances are in darkness. [T.N. Ps 89 is a messianic Ps.]
Psalm 88
New International Version
Psalm 88
New International Version
Psalm 88[a]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
day and night I cry out(B) to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
and my life draws near to death.(D)
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
I am like one without strength.(F)
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off(G) from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.(H)
7 Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)
8 You have taken from me my closest friends(K)
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(L) and cannot escape;(M)
9 my eyes(N) are dim with grief.
I call(O) to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands(P) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(Q)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness(R) in Destruction[e]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help,(S) Lord;
in the morning(T) my prayer comes before you.(U)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(V) me
and hide your face(W) from me?
15 From my youth(X) I have suffered(Y) and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors(Z) and am in despair.(AA)
16 Your wrath(AB) has swept over me;
your terrors(AC) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AD)
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AE) and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
Footnotes
- Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
- Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
- Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
- Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon
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