Psaumes 87

¹ A song of a Psalm for the sons of Core for the end, upon Maeleth for responsive strains, of instruction for Æman the Israelite. Notesn1 Gr. understanding.

² O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried by day and in the night before thee.

³ Let my prayer come in before thee ; incline thine ear to my supplication, O Lord.

⁴ For my soul is filled with troubles, and my life has drawn nigh to Hades.

⁵ I have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit ; I became as a man without help ;

⁶ free among the dead, as the slain ones cast out, who sleep in the tomb ; whom thou rememberest no more ; and they are rejected from thy hand. Notesn1 Alex. om. ἐῤῥιμμένοι, cast out.

⁷ They laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, and in the shadow of death.

⁸ Thy wrath has pressed heavily upon me, and thou hast brought upon me all thy billows. Pause.

⁹ Thou hast removed my acquaintance far from me ; they have made me an abomination to themselves ; I have been delivered up, and have not gone forth.

¹⁰ Mine eyes are dimmed from poverty ; but I cried to thee, O Lord, all the day ; I spread forth my hands to thee.

¹¹ Wilt thou work wonders for the dead ? or shall physicians raise them up, that they shall praise thee ? Notesn1 See Heb.

¹² Shall any one declare thy mercy in the tomb ? and thy truth in destruction ?

¹³ Shall thy wonders be known in darkness ? and thy righteousness in a forgotten land ?

¹⁴ But I cried to thee, O Lord ; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

¹⁵ Wherefore, O Lord, dost thou reject my prayer, and turn thy face away from me ? Notesn1 Heb. and Alex. soul.

¹⁶ I am poor and in troubles from my youth ; and having been exalted, I was brought low and into despair. Notesn1 See 2 Cor. 4. 8.

¹⁷ Thy wrath has passed over me ; and thy terrors have greatly disquieted me.

¹⁸ They compassed me like water ; all the day they beset me together.

¹⁹ Thou hast put far from me every friend, and mine acquaintances because of my wretchedness. Notesn1 Alex. friend and neighbour.