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Psalm 87-88
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 87-88
New American Standard Bible
The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion.
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
87 His (A)foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord (B)loves the gates of Zion
More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.
3 (C)Glorious things are spoken of you,
(D)City of God. Selah
4 “I shall mention [a](E)Rahab and Babylon [b]among those who know Me;
Behold, Philistia and (F)Tyre with [c](G)Cush:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her”;
And the Most High Himself will (H)establish her.
6 The Lord will count when He (I)registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Then those who (J)sing as well as those who [d](K)play the flutes will say,
“All my (L)springs of joy are in you.”
A Petition to Be Saved from Death.
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [e]Maskil of Heman [f]the Ezrahite.
88 Lord, the (M)God of my salvation,
I have (N)cried out by day and in the night before You.
2 Let my prayer (O)come before You;
(P)Incline Your ear to my cry!
3 For my (Q)soul has [g]had enough troubles,
And (R)my life has approached [h]Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who (S)go down to the pit;
I have become like a man (T)without strength,
5 [i]Abandoned (U)among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are (V)cut off from Your hand.
6 You have put me in (W)the lowest pit,
In (X)dark places, in the (Y)depths.
7 Your wrath (Z)has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with (AA)all Your waves. Selah
8 You have removed (AB)my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an [j](AC)object of loathing to them;
I am (AD)shut up and cannot go out.
9 My (AE)eye grows dim from misery;
I have (AF)called upon You every day, Lord;
I have (AG)spread out my [k]hands to You.
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Or will (AH)the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah
11 Will Your graciousness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in [l]Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the (AI)darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, Lord, have cried out (AJ)to You for help,
And (AK)in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why (AL)do You reject my soul?
Why do You (AM)hide Your face from me?
15 I was miserable and (AN)about to die from my youth on;
I suffer (AO)Your terrors; I grow weary.
16 Your (AP)burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have [m](AQ)destroyed me.
17 They have (AR)surrounded me (AS)like water all day long;
They have (AT)encircled me altogether.
18 You have removed (AU)lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in a hiding place.
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:4 I.e., Egypt, as a sea monster; not to be confused with Rahab in Joshua 2
- Psalm 87:4 Or as
- Psalm 87:4 Or Ethiopia
- Psalm 87:7 Or dance
- Psalm 88 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 88 Title 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title
- Psalm 88:3 Or been satisfied with
- Psalm 88:3 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead
- Psalm 88:8 Lit abomination to them
- Psalm 88:9 Lit palms
- Psalm 88:11 I.e., place of destruction
- Psalm 88:16 Or silenced
Psalm 87-88
New International Version
Psalm 87-88
New International Version
Psalm 87
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.(A)
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion(B)
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
city of God:[a](C)
4 “I will record Rahab[b](D) and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia(E) too, and Tyre(F), along with Cush[c]—
and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”[d](G)
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the register(H) of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”
Psalm 88[e]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[f] A maskil[g] of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;(K)
day and night I cry out(L) to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles(M)
and my life draws near to death.(N)
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(O)
I am like one without strength.(P)
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(Q) from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.(R)
7 Your wrath(S) lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[h](T)
8 You have taken from me my closest friends(U)
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(V) and cannot escape;(W)
9 my eyes(X) are dim with grief.
I call(Y) to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands(Z) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(AA)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness(AB) in Destruction[i]?
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,(AC) Lord;
in the morning(AD) my prayer comes before you.(AE)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(AF) me
and hide your face(AG) from me?
15 From my youth(AH) I have suffered(AI) and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors(AJ) and am in despair.(AK)
16 Your wrath(AL) has swept over me;
your terrors(AM) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AN)
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AO) and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
- Psalm 87:4 A poetic name for Egypt
- Psalm 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region
- Psalm 87:4 Or “I will record concerning those who acknowledge me: / ‘This one was born in Zion.’ / Hear this, Rahab and Babylon, / and you too, Philistia, Tyre and Cush.”
- 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
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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