3 For my soul H5315 is full H7646 of troubles: H7451 and my life H2416 draweth nigh H5060 unto the grave. H7585
Oh that H3863 my grief H3708 were throughly H8254 weighed, H8254 and my calamity H1942 H1962 laid H5375 in the balances H3976 together! H3162 For now it would be heavier H3513 than the sand H2344 of the sea: H3220 therefore my words H1697 are swallowed up. H3886 For the arrows H2671 of the Almighty H7706 are within H5978 me, the poison H2534 whereof drinketh up H8354 my spirit: H7307 the terrors H1161 of God H433 do set themselves in array H6186 against me.
Be not far H7368 from me; for trouble H6869 is near; H7138 for there is none to help. H5826 Many H7227 bulls H6499 have compassed H5437 me: strong H47 bulls of Bashan H1316 have beset me round. H3803 They gaped H6475 upon me with their mouths, H6310 as a ravening H2963 and a roaring H7580 lion. H738 I am poured out H8210 like water, H4325 and all my bones H6106 are out of joint: H6504 my heart H3820 is like wax; H1749 it is melted H4549 in the midst H8432 of my bowels. H4578 My strength H3581 is dried up H3001 like a potsherd; H2789 and my tongue H3956 cleaveth H1692 to my jaws; H4455 and thou hast brought H8239 me into the dust H6083 of death. H4194 For dogs H3611 have compassed H5437 me: the assembly H5712 of the wicked H7489 have inclosed H5362 me: they pierced H3738 H738 my hands H3027 and my feet. H7272 I may tell H5608 all my bones: H6106 they look H5027 and stare H7200 upon me. They part H2505 my garments H899 among them, and cast H5307 lots H1486 upon my vesture. H3830 But be not thou far H7368 from me, O LORD: H3068 O my strength, H360 haste H2363 thee to help H5833 me. Deliver H5337 my soul H5315 from the sword; H2719 my darling H3173 from the power H3027 of the dog. H3611 Save H3467 me from the lion's H738 mouth: H6310 for thou hast heard H6030 me from the horns H7161 of the unicorns. H7214
And hide H5641 not thy face H6440 from thy servant; H5650 for I am in trouble: H6887 hear H6030 me speedily. H4118 Draw nigh H7126 unto my soul, H5315 and redeem H1350 it: deliver H6299 me because of mine enemies. H341 Thou hast known H3045 my reproach, H2781 and my shame, H1322 and my dishonour: H3639 mine adversaries H6887 are all before thee. Reproach H2781 hath broken H7665 my heart; H3820 and I am full of heaviness: H5136 and I looked H6960 for some to take pity, H5110 but there was none; and for comforters, H5162 but I found H4672 none. They gave H5414 me also gall H7219 for my meat; H1267 and in my thirst H6772 they gave me vinegar H2558 to drink. H8248
LORD, H3068 why castest thou off H2186 my soul? H5315 why hidest H5641 thou thy face H6440 from me? I am afflicted H6041 and ready to die H1478 from my youth H5290 up: while I suffer H5375 thy terrors H367 I am distracted. H6323
For the enemy H341 hath persecuted H7291 my soul; H5315 he hath smitten H1792 my life H2416 down H1792 to the ground; H776 he hath made me to dwell H3427 in darkness, H4285 as those that have been long H5769 dead. H4191 Therefore is my spirit H7307 overwhelmed H5848 within me; my heart H3820 within H8432 me is desolate. H8074
Yet it pleased H2654 the LORD H3068 to bruise H1792 him; he hath put him to grief: H2470 when thou shalt make H7760 his soul H5315 an offering for sin, H817 he shall see H7200 his seed, H2233 he shall prolong H748 his days, H3117 and the pleasure H2656 of the LORD H3068 shall prosper H6743 in his hand. H3027 He shall see H7200 of the travail H5999 of his soul, H5315 and shall be satisfied: H7646 by his knowledge H1847 shall my righteous H6662 servant H5650 justify H6663 many; H7227 for he shall bear H5445 their iniquities. H5771
He hath filled H7646 me with bitterness, H4844 he hath made me drunken H7301 with wormwood. H3939 He hath also broken H1638 my teeth H8127 with gravel stones, H2687 he hath covered H3728 me with ashes. H665 And thou hast removed H2186 my soul H5315 far off H2186 from peace: H7965 I forgat H5382 prosperity. H2896 And I said, H559 My strength H5331 and my hope H8431 is perished H6 from the LORD: H3068 Remembering H2142 mine affliction H6040 and my misery, H4788 the wormwood H3939 and the gall. H7219
And G2532 he took with him G3880 Peter G4074 and G2532 the two G1417 sons G5207 of Zebedee, G2199 and began G756 to be sorrowful G3076 and G2532 very heavy. G85 Then G5119 saith he G3004 unto them, G846 My G3450 soul G5590 is G2076 exceeding sorrowful, G4036 even unto G2193 death: G2288 tarry ye G3306 here, G5602 and G2532 watch G1127 with G3326 me. G1700 And G2532 he went G4281 a little G3397 further, G4281 and fell G4098 on G1909 his G846 face, G4383 and G2532 prayed, G4336 saying, G3004 O my G3450 Father, G3962 if G1487 it be G2076 possible, G1415 let G3928 this G5124 cup G4221 pass G3928 from G575 me: G1700 nevertheless G4133 not G3756 as G5613 I G1473 will, G2309 but G235 as G5613 thou G4771 wilt.
And G2532 he taketh G3880 with G3326 him G1438 Peter G4074 and G2532 James G2385 and G2532 John, G2491 and G2532 began G756 to be sore amazed, G1568 and G2532 to be very heavy; G85 And G2532 saith G3004 unto them, G846 My G3450 soul G5590 is G2076 exceeding sorrowful G4036 unto G2193 death: G2288 tarry ye G3306 here, G5602 and G2532 watch. G1127
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 88
Commentary on Psalms 88 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 88
Ps 88:1-18. Upon Mahalath—either an instrument, as a lute, to be used as an accompaniment (Leannoth, "for singing") or, as others think, an enigmatic title (see on Ps 5:1, Ps 22:1, and Ps 45:1, titles), denoting the subject—that is, "sickness or disease, for humbling," the idea of spiritual maladies being often represented by disease (compare Ps 6:5, 6; 22:14, 15, &c.). On the other terms, see on Ps 42:1 and Ps 32:1. Heman and Ethan (see on Ps 89:1, title) were David's singers (1Ch 6:18, 33; 15:17), of the family of Kohath. If the persons alluded to (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6), they were probably adopted into the tribe of Judah. Though called a song, which usually implies joy (Ps 83:1), both the style and matter of the Psalm are very despondent; yet the appeals to God evince faith, and we may suppose that the word "song" might be extended to such compositions.
1, 2. Compare on the terms used, Ps 22:2; 31:2.
3. grave—literally, "hell" (Ps 16:10), death in wide sense.
4. go … pit—of destruction (Ps 28:1).
as a man—literally, "a stout man," whose strength is utterly gone.
5. Free … dead—Cut off from God's care, as are the slain, who, falling under His wrath, are left, no longer sustained by His hand.
6. Similar figures for distress in Ps 63:9; 69:3.
7. Compare Ps 38:2, on first, and Ps 42:7, on last clause.
8. Both cut off from sympathy and made hateful to friends (Ps 31:11).
9. Mine eye mourneth—literally, "decays," or fails, denoting exhaustion (Ps 6:7; 31:9).
I … called—(Ps 86:5, 7).
stretched out—for help (Ps 44:20).
10. shall the dead—the remains of ghosts.
arise—literally, "rise up," that is, as dead persons.
11, 12. amplify the foregoing, the whole purport (as Ps 6:5) being to contrast death and life as seasons for praising God.
13. prevent—meet—that is, he will diligently come before God for help (Ps 18:41).
14. On the terms (Ps 27:9; 74:1; 77:7).
15. from … youth up—all my life.
16, 17. the extremes of anguish and despair are depicted.
18. into darkness—Better omit "into"—"mine acquaintances (are) darkness," the gloom of death, &c. (Job 17:13, 14).