The (A)ropes of [a]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
In my (B)distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice (C)from His temple,
And my (D)cry for help before Him came into His ears.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:5 I.e., the netherworld

The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(A) confronted me.

In my distress(B) I called to the Lord;(C)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(D)
    my cry came(E) before him, into his ears.

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13 For Your graciousness toward me is great,
And You have (A)saved my soul from the [a]depths of [b]Sheol.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 86:13 Lit lowest Sheol
  2. Psalm 86:13 I.e., the netherworld

13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me(A) from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.(B)

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A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [a]Maskil of Heman [b]the Ezrahite.

88 Lord, the (A)God of my salvation,
I have (B)cried out by day and in the night before You.
Let my prayer (C)come before You;
(D)Incline Your ear to my cry!
For my (E)soul has [c]had enough troubles,
And (F)my life has approached [d]Sheol.
I am counted among those who (G)go down to the pit;
I have become like a man (H)without strength,
[e]Abandoned (I)among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are (J)cut off from Your hand.
You have put me in (K)the lowest pit,
In (L)dark places, in the (M)depths.
Your wrath (N)has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with (O)all Your waves. Selah

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 88 Title 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title
  3. Psalm 88:3 Or been satisfied with
  4. Psalm 88:3 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Psalm 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead

Psalm 88[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

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

I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
    and my life draws near to death.(D)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
    I am like one without strength.(F)
I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off(G) from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.(H)
Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  3. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.