King James Version

Psalms 88:1

O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 88:2. The heading is Hebrew Psalms 88:1.

Heading in the Hebrew text

שִׁ֥ירshirsongשִׁירnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “song”, the ordinary formH7892a song; abstractly, singingmusical(-ick), [idiom] sing(-er, -ing), song.מִזְמ֗וֹרmizmorpsalmמִזְמוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “psalm”, the ordinary formH4210properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notespsalm.לִבְנֵ֫יlivneto sonבֵּןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “to son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […קֹ֥רַחqorachKorahקֹרַחnoun, proper name — “Korah”H7141Korach, the name of two Edomites and three IsraelitesKorah.לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַlamnatsechato excelנָצַחpreposition, with the article, verb, piel, participle, absolute — “to excel”, a verb used as a describing wordH5329properly, to glitter from afar, i.e. to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); to be permanentexcel, chief musician (singer), oversee(-r), set forward.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מָחֲלַ֣תmachalatMahalathמַחֲלַתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “Mahalath”, the ordinary formH4257'Machalath', probably the title (initial word) of a popular songMahalath.לְעַנּ֑וֹתleanotto abase selfעָנָהconjunction, verb, piel, infinitive absolute — “to abase self”, the verb used for emphasisH6031to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)abase self, afflict(-ion, self), answer (by mistake for H6030 (עָנָה)), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing (by mistake for H6030 (עָנָה)), speak (by mistake for H6030 (עָנ…מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗ילmaskilMaschilמַשְׂכִּילnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Maschil”, the ordinary formH4905instructive, i.e. a didactic poemMaschil.לְהֵימָ֥ןleheymanto Hemanהֵימָןpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Heman”H1968Heman, the name of at least two IsraelitesHeman.הָאֶזְרָחִֽיhaezrachithe Ezrahiteאֶזְרָחִיdefinite article, noun, gentilic, masculine, singular, absolute — “the Ezrahite”, the ordinary formH250an Ezrachite or descendant of ZerachEzrahite.

יְ֭הוָהyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֱלֹהֵ֣יeloheGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.יְשׁוּעָתִ֑יyeshuatideliveranceיְשׁוּעָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “deliverance”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3444something saved, i.e. (abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperitydeliverance, health, help(-ing), salvation, save, saving (health), welfare.יוֹםyomas long asיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…צָעַ֖קְתִּיtsaaqticall togetherצָעַקverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “call together”, a completed actionH6817to shriek; (by implication) to proclaim (an assembly)[idiom] at all, call together, cry (out), gather (selves) (together).בַלַּ֣יְלָהvalaylahin nightלַיִלpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in night”, the ordinary formH3915properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity(mid-)night (season).נֶגְדֶּֽךָnegdekhaagainstנֶגֶדpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “against”H5048a front, i.e. part opposite; specifically a counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with preposition) over against or beforeabout, (over) against, [idiom] aloof, [idiom] far (off), [idiom] from, over, presence, [idiom] other side, sight, [idiom] to view.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(88-1) A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. (88-2) O LORD, God of my salvation, what time I cry in the night before Thee,

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.

Young’s Literal Translation

A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah, to the Overseer, 'Concerning the Sickness of Afflictions.' — An instruction, by Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before Thee,

World English Bible

Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.

Darby Translation

Jehovah, God of my salvation, I have cried by day [and] in the night before thee.

Douay-Rheims

Of understanding, for Ethan the Ezrahite.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(88-1) A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. (88-2) O LORD, God of my salvation, what time I cry in the night before Thee,

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου, ἡμέρας ἐκέκραξα καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ ἐναντίον σου.