Psalm 86–88
1 Hear me, Lord, and answerg me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.h
You are my God; 3 have mercyi on me, Lord,
for I callj to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trustk in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in lovel to all who call to you.
listen to my crym for mercy.
7 When I am in distress,n I callo to you,
because you answerp me.
8 Among the godsq there is none like you,r Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will comes and worshipt before you, Lord;
they will bring gloryu to your name.
10 For you are greatv and do marvelous deeds;w
you alonex are God.
11 Teach me your way,y Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;z
give me an undivideda heart,
that I may fearb your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;c
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered med from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.e
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.f
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and graciousg God,
slow to anger,h aboundingi in love and faithfulness.j
16 Turn to mek and have mercyl on me;
show your strengthm in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.n
17 Give me a signo of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.
1 He has founded his city on the holy mountain.p
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zionq
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are said of you,
4 “I will record Rahabb s and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—
Philistiat too, and Tyreu, along with Cushc—
and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’ ”d v
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.”
6 The Lord will write in the registerw of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”
7 As they make musicx they will sing,
“All my fountainsy are in you.”
Psalm 88a
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.b A maskilc of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;z
day and night I cry outa to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troublesb
and my life draws near to death.c
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;d
I am like one without strength.e
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut offf from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.g
7 Your wrathh lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.d i
8 You have taken from me my closest friendsj
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confinedk and cannot escape;l
9 my eyesm are dim with grief.
I calln to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my handso to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?p
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulnessq in Destructione?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help,r Lord;
in the mornings my prayer comes before you.t
14 Why, Lord, do you rejectu me
and hide your facev from me?
15 From my youthw I have sufferedx and been close to death;
I have borne your terrorsy and am in despair.z
16 Your wratha has swept over me;
your terrorsb have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;c
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friendd and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.