Psalm 87-88

New International Version

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

¹He has founded his city on the holy mountain.^(A)
²The Lord loves the gates of Zion^(B)
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

³Glorious 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)
⁵Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
⁶The Lord will write in the register^(H) of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

⁷As they make music^(I) they will sing,
“All my fountains^(J) are in you.”

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.

¹Lord, you are the God who saves me;^(K)
day and night I cry out^(L) to you.
²May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.

³I am overwhelmed with troubles^(M)
    and my life draws near to death.^(N)
⁴I am counted among those who go down to the pit;^(O)
    I am like one without strength.^(P)
⁵I 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.

⁶You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.^(R)
⁷Your wrath^(S) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.^[h]^(T)
⁸You 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.
¹⁰Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?^(AA)
¹¹Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness^(AB) in Destruction^[i]?
¹²Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

¹³But I cry to you for help,^(AC) Lord;
in the morning^(AD) my prayer comes before you.^(AE)
¹⁴Why, Lord, do you reject^(AF) me
and hide your face^(AG) from me?

¹⁵From my youth^(AH) I have suffered^(AI) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors^(AJ) and am in despair.^(AK)
¹⁶Your wrath^(AL) has swept over me;
    your terrors^(AM) have destroyed me.
¹⁷All day long they surround me like a flood;^(AN)
    they have completely engulfed me.
¹⁸You 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