שִׁיר מִזְמוֹר לִבְנֵי קֹרַח לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת מַשְׂכִּיל לְהֵימָן הָאֶזְרָחִי׃   88:1

Psal. 88:1   A psalm for the sons of Korach, a song for the leader on the mahalath, for afflictions, a contemplative poem of Heman's, the Ezrahite:

For more on the term mahalath, see Psal. 53:1.  The name Heman means faithful, which may provide a hint about the theme and meaning of this psalm.  It poignantly expresses deep suffering, for perhaps much of a lifetime, and exhibits little hope by the unknown author of being rescued from his dark night.

יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יְשׁוּעָתִי יוֹם־צָעַקְתִּי בַלַּיְלָה נֶגְדֶּךָ׃   88:2

Psal. 88:2   O Lord, God of my salvation,

                               the time I cry out at night in Your presence,

תָּבוֹא לְפָנֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתִי הַטֵּה־אָזְנְךָ לְרִנָּתִי׃   88:3

Psal. 88:3   may my prayer come before You.

                               Extend Your “ear” to my supplication.

כִּי־שָׂבְעָה בְרָעוֹת נַפְשִׁי וְחַיַּי לִשְׁאוֹל הִגִּיעוּ׃   88:4

Psal. 88:4   For my soul is filled with troubles,

                               and my life comes near to the netherworld.

נֶחְשַׁבְתִּי עִם־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר הָיִיתִי כְּגֶבֶר אֵין־אֱיָל׃   88:5

Psal. 88:5   I am regarded with the descenders of the pit;

                               I am like a man without strength,

בַּמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי כְּמוֹ חֲלָלִים שֹׁכְבֵי קֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר לֹא זְכַרְתָּם עוֹד וְהֵמָּה מִיָּדְךָ נִגְזָרוּ׃   88:6

Psal. 88:6   set free among the dead,

                               like the slain, those lying in the grave,

                     whom You do not remember anymore,

                               so they are separated from Your “hand.”

שַׁתַּנִי בְּבוֹר תַּחְתִּיּוֹת בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים בִּמְצֹלוֹת׃   88:7

Psal. 88:7   You have put me in the lowest parts of the pit,

                                in the darkest places in the depths.

עָלַי סָמְכָה חֲמָתֶךָ וְכָל־מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ עִנִּיתָ סֶּלָה׃   88:8

Psal. 88:8   Your “fury” leans on me,

                                as You afflict all Your crashing waves.            Selah.

The appearance of the mysterious term Selah (twice) in this psalm seems to disprove my theory about its meaning (see Psal. 3:3).  Yet, who knows!  Maybe this unknown individual was expressing his indomitable hope for salvation, despite his affliction.

הִרְחַקְתָּ מְיֻדָּעַי מִמֶּנִּי שַׁתַּנִי תוֹעֵבוֹת לָמוֹ כָּלֻא וְלֹא אֵצֵא׃   88:9

Psal. 88:9   You have removed my acquaintance from me,

                                 made me one of those abominable to him,

                      so restrained that I cannot get out.

עֵינִי דָאֲבָה מִנִּי עֹנִי קְרָאתִיךָ יְהוָה בְּכָל־יוֹם שִׁטַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ כַפָּי׃   88:10

Psal. 88:10   My eye languishes because of affliction.

                                  I cry out to You, O Lord, every day;

                         I stretch out my hands to You.

הֲלַמֵּתִים תַּעֲשֶׂה־פֶּלֶא אִם־רְפָאִים יָקוּמוּ יוֹדוּךָ סֶּלָה׃   88:11

Psal. 88:11   Would You perform wonders for the dead if the spirits could rise,

                                 could give You thanks?            Selah.

הַיְסֻפַּר בַּקֶּבֶר חַסְדֶּךָ אֱמוּנָתְךָ בָּאֲבַדּוֹן׃   88:12

Psal. 88:12   Could Your mercy be declared in the grave,

                                 Your fidelity in a place of destruction?

הֲיִוָּדַע בַּחֹשֶׁךְ פִּלְאֶךָ וְצִדְקָתְךָ בְּאֶרֶץ נְשִׁיָּה׃   88:13

Psal. 88:13   Would one know Your wonders in darkness,

                                 or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

In relation to my remarks on v. 8 above, could these three verses, 11, 12, and 13, be interpreted to indicate the author’s devotion to God and abiding faith in His goodness (as seems to be expressed in the next verse)?  I leave it to you to consider this possibility.

וַאֲנִי אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה שִׁוַּעְתִּי וּבַבֹּקֶר תְּפִלָּתִי תְקַדְּמֶךָּ׃   88:14

Psal. 88:14   So I cry out to You, Lord,

                                  that in the morning my prayer will go before You.

לָמָה יְהוָה תִּזְנַח נַפְשִׁי תַּסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי׃   88:15

Psal. 88:15   Lord, how can You cast off my soul,

                                  conceal Your ”face” from me?

עָנִי אֲנִי וְגֹוֵעַ מִנֹּעַר נָשָׂאתִי אֵמֶיךָ אָפוּנָה׃   88:16

Psal. 88:16   I have been afflicted,

                                  as to be near death since youth;

                        I have borne Your terrors;

                                   I could be perplexed.

עָלַי עָבְרוּ חֲרוֹנֶיךָ בִּעוּתֶיךָ צִמְּתוּתֻנִי׃   88:17

Psal. 88:17   The acts of Your hot “anger” have passed over me,

                                   Your terrors have nearly destroyed me.

סַבּוּנִי כַמַּיִם כָּל־הַיּוֹם הִקִּיפוּ עָלַי יָחַד׃   88:18

Psal. 88:18   They envelop me like water all the time,

                                   go around against me together.

הִרְחַקְתָּ מִמֶּנִּי אֹהֵב וָרֵעַ מְיֻדָּעַי מַחְשָׁךְ׃   88:19

Psal. 88:19   You have removed from me lover and friend;

                                   my companion is darkness.

[Return to Psalms Chapters]   [Prev.:  Psal. 87]   [Next:  Psal. 89]