Psalm 86

A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.

A Prayer of David.

1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy.

2 Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man;
O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
For to You I cry all day long.

4 Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
And give heed to the voice of my supplications!

7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
For You will answer me.

8 There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works like Yours.

9 All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.

10 For You are great and do wondrous deeds;
You alone are God.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.

12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.

13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, arrogant men have risen up against me,
And a band of violent men have sought my life,
And they have not set You before them.

15 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.

16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Oh grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your handmaid.

17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 87

The Privileges of Citizenship in Zion.

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.

2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.

3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God. Selah.

4 "I shall mention tRahab and Babylon among those who know Me;
Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia:
'This one was born there.'"

5 But of Zion it shall be said, "This one and that one were born in her";
And the Most High Himself will establish her.

6 The LORD will count when He registers the peoples,
"This one was born there." Selah.

7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say,
"All my springs of joy are in you."

Psalm 88

A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 O LORD, the God of my salvation,
I have cried out by day and in the night before You.

2 Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry!

3 For my soul has had enough troubles,
And my life has drawn near to Sheol.

4 I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit;
I have become like a man without strength,

5 Forsaken among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And they are cut off from Your hand.

6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
In dark places, in the depths.

7 Your wrath has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah.

8 You have removed my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an tobject of loathing to them;
I am shut up and cannot go out.

9 My eye has wasted away because of affliction;
I have called upon You every day, O LORD;
I have spread out my hands to You.

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.

11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12 Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

14 O LORD, why do You reject my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?

15 I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on;
I suffer Your terrors; I am overcome.

16 Your burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have destroyed me.

17 They have surrounded me like water all day long;
They have encompassed me altogether.

18 You have removed lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in darkness.