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Psalms 88

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 88 of 150

1 A Song. A Psalm for the Sons of Korah, to the chief musician on Mahalath, to make humble. A Poem of Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah God of my salvation, I have cried in the day, in the night before You.

2 Let my prayer come before You; stretch out Your ear to my cry.

3 For my soul is full with evils, and my life draws near Sheol.

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Chapter Summary

A prayer from one in the greatest extremity. A Song. A Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the chief musician, for the disease of affliction. A Lesson. Of Heman the Ezrahite.

Key Hebrew Words

יְשׁוּעָה salvation H3444 · TWOT 929b
שְׁאוֹל Sheol, the grave H7585 · TWOT 2303c
חֹ֫שֶׁךְ darkness H2822 · TWOT 769a
בִּעוּתִים terrors H1161 · TWOT 265b
חֶ֫סֶד mercy, lovingkindness H2617 · TWOT 698a
תְּפִלָּה prayer H8605 · TWOT 1776a

People & Context

Heman the Ezrahite

The Levitical singer named as author; he cries out day and night as one cast into the lowest pit, abandoned and afflicted.

Sons of Korah

The temple-singer guild named in the heading to whom this darkest lament of the Psalter is assigned.

Timeline

Affliction in the Lowest Pit

Heman the Ezrahite is laid in the lowest pit by God, who takes his friends and lovers into darkness.

Psalms 88:6-8

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Word-for-word literal translation with Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and audio.

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