Psalm 87-88
New American Standard Bible 1995
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,
O (D)city of God. [a]Selah.
4 “I shall mention [b](E)Rahab and Babylon [c]among those who know Me;
Behold, Philistia and (F)Tyre with [d](G)Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it shall 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 [e](K)play the flutes shall 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 choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [f]Maskil of Heman [g]the Ezrahite.
88 O 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 [h]had enough troubles,
And (R)my life has drawn near to [i]Sheol.
4 I am reckoned among those who (S)go down to the pit;
I have become like a man (T)without strength,
5 [j]Forsaken (U)among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
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. [k]Selah.
8 You have removed (AB)my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an [l](AC)object of loathing to them;
I am (AD)shut up and cannot go out.
9 My (AE)eye has wasted away because of affliction;
I have (AF)called upon You every day, O Lord;
I have (AG)spread out my [m]hands to You.
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Will (AH)the [n]departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.
11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in [o]Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the (AI)darkness?
And Your [p]righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, have cried out (AJ)to You for help,
And (AK)in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 O Lord, why (AL)do You reject my soul?
Why do You (AM)hide Your face from me?
15 I was afflicted and (AN)about to die from my youth on;
I suffer (AO)Your terrors; I am [q]overcome.
16 Your (AP)burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have [r](AQ)destroyed me.
17 They have (AR)surrounded me (AS)like water all day long;
They have (AT)encompassed me altogether.
18 You have removed (AU)lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in darkness.
Footnotes
- Psalm 87:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 87:4 I.e. Egypt
- Psalm 87:4 Or as
- Psalm 87:4 Lit Cush
- Psalm 87:7 Or dance
- Psalm 88:1 Possibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 88:1 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title
- Psalm 88:3 Or been satisfied with
- Psalm 88:3 I.e. the nether world
- Psalm 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead
- Psalm 88:7 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 88:8 Lit abomination to them
- Psalm 88:9 Lit palms
- Psalm 88:10 Or ghosts, shades
- Psalm 88:11 I.e. place of destruction
- Psalm 88:12 I.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises
- Psalm 88:15 Or embarrassed
- Psalm 88:16 Or silenced
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.