Psalms

Psalm 88:1–3

¹A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth.^a A Maskil^b of Heman the Ezrahite.

O LORD, the God of my salvation,

day and night I cry out before You.

²May my prayer come before You;

incline Your ear to my cry.

³For my soul is full of troubles,

and my life draws near to Sheol.

Footnotes

a 88:1 Mahalath Leannothis probably a musical or liturgical term; see also Psalm 53:1|PSA 53:1.
b 88:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Read all of Psalm 88

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 88:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A song	שִׁ֥יר	šîr	Noun - masculine singular	H7892 song
A Psalm	מִזְמ֗וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of the sons	לִבְנֵ֫י	liḇ·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of Korah	קֹ֥רַח	qō·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7141 Korach
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
According to	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Mahalath	מָחֲלַ֣ת	mā·ḥă·laṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H4257 'Machalath'
Leannoth	לְעַנּ֑וֹת	lə·‘an·nō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H6030 answer, respond
A Maskil	מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of Heman	לְהֵימָ֥ן	lə·hê·mān	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1968 Heman
the Ezrahite	הָאֶזְרָחִֽי׃	hā·’ez·rā·ḥî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H250 Ezrachite
O LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the God	אֱלֹהֵ֣י	’ĕ·lō·hê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H430 God
of my salvation	יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י	yə·šū·‘ā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3444 salvation
day	יוֹם־	yō·wm-	Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
and night	בַלַּ֣יְלָה	ḇal·lay·lāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
I cry out	צָעַ֖קְתִּי	ṣā·‘aq·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6817 cry, cry out, call
before You	נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃	neḡ·de·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front

Psalm 88:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May my prayer	תְּפִלָּתִ֑י	tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8605 prayer
come	תָּב֣וֹא	tā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
before You	לְ֭פָנֶיךָ	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
incline	הַטֵּֽה־	haṭ·ṭêh-	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
Your ear	אָ֝זְנְךָ֗	’ā·zə·nə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H241 ear
to my cry	לְרִנָּתִֽי׃	lə·rin·nā·ṯî	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H7440 ringing cry

Psalm 88:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֑י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
is full	שָֽׂבְעָ֣ה	śā·ḇə·‘āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7646 be sated, satisfied, surfeited
of troubles	בְרָע֣וֹת	ḇə·rā·‘ō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural	H7451 bad, evil
and my life	וְחַיַּ֗י	wə·ḥay·yay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H2416 alive, living
draws near	הִגִּֽיעוּ׃	hig·gî·‘ū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H5060 touch, reach, strike
to Sheol	לִשְׁא֥וֹל	liš·’ō·wl	Preposition-l; Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 88:1 Isaiah 12:2 · Psalm 22:2 · Luke 18:7 · Psalm 86:3 · Genesis 49:18 · Titus 3:4–7 · Psalm 27:9 · Psalm 53:1 · 1 Kings 4:31 · Psalm 51:14 · Luke 2:30 · Titus 2:13

Psalm 88:2 Psalm 31:2 · Psalm 141:1–2 · Lamentations 3:8 · Psalm 79:11

Psalm 88:3 Psalm 107:18 · Lamentations 3:15–19 · Mark 14:33–34 · Psalm 77:2 · Isaiah 53:10–11 · Isaiah 53:3 · Psalm 69:17–21 · Matthew 26:37–39 · Psalm 143:3–4 · Psalm 107:26 · Job 6:2–4 · Psalm 88:14–15

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.