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(A psalm and a song by the clan of Korah.)

The Glory of Mount Zion

Zion was built by the Lord
    on the holy mountain,
and he loves that city
more than any other place
    in all of Israel.
Zion, you are the city of God,
and wonderful things
    are told about you.

Egypt,[a] Babylonia, Philistia,
    Phoenicia,[b] and Ethiopia[c]
are some of those nations
    that know you,
and their people all say,
    “I was born in Zion.”

God Most High will strengthen
    the city of Zion.
Then everyone will say,
    “We were born here too.”
The Lord will make a list
    of his people,
and all who were born here
    will be included.

All who sing or dance will say,
    “I too am from Zion.”

(A song and a psalm by the clan of Korah for the music leader. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth.”[d] A special psalm by Heman the Ezrahite.)

A Prayer When You Can't Find the Way

You keep me safe, Lord God.
So when I pray at night,
please listen carefully
    to each of my concerns.

I am deeply troubled
    and close to death;
I am as good as dead
    and completely helpless.
I am no better off
    than those in the grave,
those you have forgotten
    and no longer help.

You have put me in the deepest
    and darkest grave;
your anger rolls over me
    like ocean waves.
You have made my friends turn
    in horror from me.
I am a prisoner
    who cannot escape,
and I am almost blind
    because of my sorrow.

Each day I lift my hands
    in prayer to you, Lord.
10 Do you work miracles
    for the dead?
Do they stand up
    and praise you?
11 Are your love and loyalty
announced in the world
    of the dead?
12 Do they know of your miracles
    or your saving power
in the dark world below
    where all is forgotten?

13 Each morning I pray
    to you, Lord.
14 Why do you reject me?
    Why do you turn from me?
15 Ever since I was a child,
I have been sick
    and close to death.
You have terrified me
    and made me helpless.[e]

16 Your anger is like a flood!
And I am shattered
    by your furious attacks
17 that strike each day
    and from every side.
18 My friends and neighbors
have turned against me
    because of you,
and now darkness
    is my only companion.

Footnotes

  1. 87.4 Egypt: The Hebrew text has “Rahab,” the name of a monster that stands for Egypt (see Isaiah 30.7).
  2. 87.4 Phoenicia: See the note at 83.7.
  3. 87.4 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has “Cush,” which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
  4. Psalm 88 To … Leannoth: Or “For the flutes,” one possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. 88.15 and made me helpless: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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