Psalms

Psalm 88:1–7

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.

⁴I am counted among those descending to the Pit.

I am like a man without strength.

⁵I am forsaken among the dead,

like the slain who lie in the grave,

whom You remember no more,

who are cut off from Your care.

⁶You have laid me in the lowest Pit,

in the darkest of the depths.

⁷Your wrath weighs heavily upon me;

all Your waves have submerged me.

Selah

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

Psalm 88:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I am counted	נֶ֭חְשַׁבְתִּי	neḥ·šaḇ·tî	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2803 think, account
among	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
those descending	י֣וֹרְדֵי	yō·wr·ḏê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3381 come or go down, descend
to the Pit	ב֑וֹר	ḇō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
I am	הָ֝יִ֗יתִי	hā·yî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like a man	כְּגֶ֣בֶר	kə·ḡe·ḇer	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H1397 man
without	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
strength	אֱיָֽל׃	’ĕ·yāl	Noun - masculine singular	H353 help

Psalm 88:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I am forsaken	חָ֫פְשִׁ֥י	ḥā·p̄ə·šî	Adjective - masculine singular	H2670 free
among the dead	בַּמֵּתִ֗ים	bam·mê·ṯîm	Preposition-b, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H4191 die
like	כְּמ֤וֹ	kə·mōw	Preposition	H3644 like, as, when
the slain	חֲלָלִ֨ים׀	ḥă·lā·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2491 pierced
who lie	שֹׁ֥כְבֵי	šō·ḵə·ḇê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H7901 lie down
in the grave	קֶ֗בֶר	qe·ḇer	Noun - masculine singular	H6913 grave, sepulchre
whom	אֲשֶׁ֤ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
You	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
remember	זְכַרְתָּ֣ם	zə·ḵar·tām	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H2142 remember
no more	ע֑וֹד	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
who	וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה	wə·hêm·māh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
are cut off	נִגְזָֽרוּ׃	niḡ·zā·rū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1504 cut, divide
from Your care	מִיָּדְךָ֥	mî·yā·ḏə·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3027 hand

Psalm 88:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You have laid me	שַׁ֭תַּנִי	šat·ta·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7896 put, set
in the lowest	תַּחְתִּיּ֑וֹת	taḥ·tî·yō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H8482 lower, lowest
Pit	בְּב֣וֹר	bə·ḇō·wr	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
in the darkest	בְּ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים	bə·ma·ḥă·šak·kîm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural	H4285 dark place
of the depths	בִּמְצֹלֽוֹת׃	bim·ṣō·lō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural	H4688 depth, deep

Psalm 88:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Your wrath	חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ	ḥă·mā·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2534 heat, rage
weighs heavily	סָמְכָ֣ה	sā·mə·ḵāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H5564 lean, lay, rest, support
upon me	עָ֭לַי	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
Your waves	מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗יךָ	miš·bā·re·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H4867 breaker
have submerged	עִנִּ֥יתָ	‘in·nî·ṯā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6031 be occupied, busied with
Selah	סֶּֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up