Mazmur 88:4-8

88:4 They treat me like ¹  those who descend into the grave. ² 

I am like a helpless man, ³ 

88:5 adrift ⁴  among the dead,

like corpses lying in the grave,

whom you remember no more,

and who are cut off from your power. ⁵ 

88:6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, ⁶ 

in the dark places, in the watery depths.

88:7 Your anger bears down on me,

and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)

88:8 You cause those who know me to keep their distance;

you make me an appalling sight to them.

I am trapped and cannot get free. ⁷ 

Mazmur 143:7

143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!

My strength is fading. ⁸ 

Do not reject me, ⁹ 

or I will join ¹⁰  those descending into the grave. ¹¹ 

[88:4]  ¹ tn Heb “I am considered with.”

[88:4]  ² tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.

[88:4]  ³ tn Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”

[88:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “set free.”

[88:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “from your hand.”

[88:6]  ⁶ tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.

[88:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “[I am] confined and I cannot go out.”

[143:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”

[143:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[143:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I will be equal with.”

[143:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.