Psalm 88

"Among the Dead"

Purpose: To lament his suffering at God's hands.

Content: Because you are afflicting me, YHWH, I am dying. Save me! Even if you do not, I will keep praying.

Message: Even without knowing the reason for his ongoing suffering, the psalmist will continue to pray.

Author: Heman the Ezrahite, one of the Korahites

Overview

Translation

Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 88.

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1. A song. A psalm. By the sons of Korah.

For the director. About illness, for self-affliction.

A maskil. By Heman the Ezrahite.

2. YHWH, God of my salvation,

I have been crying out day and night before you.

3. May my prayer find favor with you!

Incline your ear to my cry!

4. For I am weary of troubles,

and my life has reached Sheol.

5. I am counted with those who go down to the Pit.

I have become just like a man who has no strength.

6. [I am] an outcast among the dead,

just like the slain who are lying in the tomb,

whom you do not remember anymore,

and [who] have been cut off from your care.

7. You have put me in the lowest pit,

in dark places, in watery depths.

8. Your outbursts of wrath have been lying heavily on me,

and you have been afflicting [me] with all your waves. Selah.

9. You have caused my acquaintances to shun me.

You have made me repulsive to them.

[You have made me] shut in, so that I cannot get out.

10. My eyes have languished from misery.

I have been calling to you, YHWH, every day.

I have been spreading out my hands to you.

11. Do you perform wonders for the dead?

Do the departed spirits rise up to praise you? Selah.

12. Is your faithful love recounted in the tomb?

[Is] your faithfulness [recounted] in the place of destruction?

13. Can your wonders be known in the dark region?

And [can] your righteousness [be known] in the land of oblivion?

14. But I have been crying out to you for help, YHWH,

and my prayer will keep welcoming you in the morning.

15. Why, YHWH, do you keep rejecting me?

[Why] do you keep hiding your face from me?

16. I have been afflicted and close to death from youth.

I’ve been suffering your terrifying assaults, and keep being torn apart.

17. Your outbursts of wrath have been sweeping over me;

your terrifying assaults have been destroying me.

18. They have been surrounding me like water constantly;

they have been closing in on me together.

19. You have caused all my friends and companions to shun me;

[you have caused] my acquaintances [to shun my] distress.

The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.

For links to other translations of Psalm 88, click here.

Verse-by-Verse

Click the link to view all of Psalm 88 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.

• v. 1
• v. 2
• v. 3
• v. 4
• v. 5
• v. 6
• v. 7
• v. 8
• v. 9
• v. 10
• v. 11
• v. 12
• v. 13
• v. 14
• v. 15
• v. 16
• v. 17
• v. 18
• v. 19

Layer-by-Layer

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

Exegetical Issues

• The Meaning of חָפְשִׁי in Ps 88:6
• The Text and Meaning of Ps. 88:16b
• The Text and Meaning of Ps. 88:19b

Guardian: Eyal Nahum