A Cry from the Depths
Psalms 87
The psalmist cries to God day and night out of deep distress, describing his life as drawn near to the grave, laid among the dead in the lowest pit, forgotten and cut off from God's hand and from every friend and acquaintance. He questions whether God's wonders and mercy can be known among the dead, and pleads for an answer despite feeling that God's wrath and terrors have pressed upon him since his youth.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
Thomson—
BrentonA song of a Psalm for the sons of Core for the end, upon Maeleth for responsive strains, of instruction for Æman the Israelite.
GreekὨδὴ ψαλμοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορὲ, εἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ μαελὲθ τοῦ ἀποκριθῆναι, συνέσεως Αἰμὰν τῷ Ἰσραηλίτῃ.
KJV—
JPSA Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.
2
ThomsonO LORD God of my salvation, before Thee I have cried day and night.
BrentonO Lord God of my salvation, I have cried by day and in the night before thee.
GreekΚύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου, ἡμέρας ἐκέκραξα καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ ἐναντίον σου.
KJVO LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
JPSO LORD, God of my salvation, What time I cry in the night before Thee,
3
ThomsonLet my prayer come before Thee, incline, O Lord, Thine ear to my supplication;
BrentonLet my prayer come in before thee; incline thine ear to my supplication, O Lord.
GreekΕἰσελθέτω ἐνώπιόν σου ἡ προσευχή μου, κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου εἰς τὴν δέησίν μου, Κύριε.
KJVLet my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
JPSLet my prayer come before Thee, Incline Thine ear unto my cry.
4
Thomson—
BrentonFor my soul is filled with troubles, and my life has drawn nigh to Hades.
GreekὍτι ἐπλήσθη κακῶν ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἡ ζωή μου τῷ ᾅδῃ ἤγγισε.
KJVFor my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
JPSFor my soul is sated with troubles, And my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
5
ThomsonI was counted with them who are going down to the pit; I became like a man who is past recovery—
BrentonI have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit; I became as a man without help;
GreekΠροσελογίσθην μετὰ τῶν καταβαινόντων εἰς λάκκον, ἐγενήθην ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀβοήθητος,
KJVI am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
JPSI am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am become as a man that hath no help;
6
Thomsonlike one set free among the dead—like the prostrate slain, asleep in the grave, whom Thou hast no more remembered.
Brentonfree among the dead, as the slain ones cast out, who sleep in the tomb; whom thou rememberest no more; and they are rejected from thy hand.
Greekἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερος, ὡσεὶ τραυματίαι ἐῤῥιμμένοι καθεύδοντες ἐν τάφῳ, ὧν οὐκ ἐμνήσθης ἔτι, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου ἀπώσθησαν.
KJVFree among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
JPSSet apart among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, Whom Thou rememberest no more; And they are cut off from Thy hand. .
7
ThomsonThough they were cast off out of Thy hand, they laid me in the lowest pit—in dark places and in the shade of death.
BrentonThey laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, and in the shadow of death.
GreekἜθεντό με ἐν λάκκῳ κατωτάτῳ, ἐν σκοτεινοῖς καὶ ἐν σκιᾷ θανάτου.
KJVThou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
JPSThou hast laid me in the nether-most pit, In dark places, in the deeps.
8
ThomsonOn me Thy wrath was pressed hard, and all Thy billows Thou didst bring upon me.
BrentonThy wrath has pressed heavily upon me, and thou hast brought upon me all thy billows. Pause.
GreekἘπʼ ἐμὲ ἐπεστηρίχθη ὁ θυμός σου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς μετεωρισμούς σου ἐπήγαγες ἐπʼ ἐμέ· διάψαλμα.
KJVThy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
JPSThy wrath lieth hard upon me, And all Thy waves Thou pressest down. Selah
9
ThomsonThou hast removed far from me my acquaintance, they accounted me an abomination to them. I was delivered up and did not go abroad;
BrentonThou hast removed my acquaintance far from me; they have made me an abomination to themselves; I have been delivered up, and have not gone forth.
GreekἘμάκρυνας τοὺς γνωστούς μου ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, ἔθεντό με βδέλυγμα ἑαυτοῖς· παρεδόθην καὶ οὐκ ἐξεπορευόμην.
KJVThou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
JPSThou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them; I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
10
Thomsonmine eyes were weakened by affliction. To Thee, O Lord, I cried all the day long: to Thee I stretched forth my hands.
BrentonMine eyes are dimmed from poverty; but I cried to thee, O Lord, all the day; I spread forth my hands to thee.
GreekΟἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου ἠσθένησαυ ἀπὸ πτωχείας· καὶ ἐκέκραξα πρὸς σὲ Κύριε ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, διεπέτασα πρὸς σὲ τὰς χεῖράς μου.
KJV—
JPSMine eye languisheth by reason of affliction; I have called upon Thee, O LORD, every day, I have spread forth my hands unto Thee.
11
ThomsonWilt Thou work wonders among the dead? Or can physicians raise them up to praise Thee?
BrentonWilt thou work wonders for the dead? or shall physicians raise them up, that they shall praise thee?
GreekΜὴ τοῖς νεκροῖς ποιήσεις θαυμάσια, ἢ ἰατροὶ ἀναστήσουσι καὶ ἐξομολογήσονταί σοι;
KJVWilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
JPSWilt Thou work wonders for the dead? Or shall the shades arise and give Thee thanks? Selah
12
ThomsonCan any in the grave declare Thy kindness?—Or Thy faithfulness, in destruction?
BrentonShall any one declare thy mercy in the tomb? and thy truth in destruction?
GreekΜὴ διηγήσεταί τις ἐν τάφῳ τὸ ἔλεός σου, καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου ἐν τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ;
KJV—
JPSShall Thy mercy be declared in the grave? Or Thy faithfulness in destruction?
13
ThomsonCan Thy wonders be known in darkness—Or Thy saving mercy, in the land of forgetfulness?
BrentonShall thy wonders be known in darkness? and thy righteousness in a forgotten land?
GreekΜὴ γνωσθήσεται ἐν τῷ σκότει τὰ θαυμάσιά σου, καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη σου ἐν γῇ ἐπιλελησμένῃ;
KJVShall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
JPSShall Thy wonders be known in the dark? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
14
ThomsonAs for me, I have cried to Thee, O Lord, and in the morning my prayers shall be before Thee.
BrentonBut I cried to thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
GreekΚᾀγὼ πρὸς σὲ Κύριε ἐκέκραξα, καὶ τοπρωῒ ἡ προσευχή μου προφθάσει σε.
KJVBut unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
JPSBut as for me, unto Thee, O LORD, do I cry, And in the morning doth my prayer come to meet Thee.
15
ThomsonO Lord, why rejectest Thou my prayer—why turnest Thou away Thy face from me?
BrentonWherefore, O Lord, dost thou reject my prayer, and turn thy face away from me?
GreekἹνατί Κύριε ἀπωθεῖς τὴν προσευχήν μου, ἀποστρέφεις τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ;
KJVLORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
JPSLORD, why castest Thou off my soul? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me?
16
ThomsonI am afflicted and in troubles from my youth: though raised high I have been humbled and distressed.
BrentonI am poor and in troubles from my youth; and having been exalted, I was brought low and into despair.
GreekΠτωχός εἰμι ἐγὼ καὶ ἐν κόποις ἐκ νεότητός μου, ὑψωθεὶς δὲ ἐταπεινώθην καὶ ἐξηπορήθην.
KJV—
JPS—
17
Thomson—
BrentonThy wrath has passed over me; and thy terrors have greatly disquieted me.
GreekἘπʼ ἐμὲ διῆλθον αἱ ὀργαί σου, καὶ οἱ φοβερισμοί σου ἐξετάραξάν με.
KJVThy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
JPSThy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.
18
Thomsonthey have encompassed me like water: all the day long they begirt me at once.
BrentonThey compassed me like water; all the day they beset me together.
GreekἘκύκλωσάν με ὡς ὕδωρ, ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν περιέσχον με ἅμα.
KJVThey came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
JPSThey came round about me like water all the day; They compassed me about together.
19
ThomsonThou hast removed a friend far from me, my acquaintance also, because of misery.
BrentonThou hast put far from me every friend, and mine acquaintances because of my wretchedness.
GreekἘμάκρυνας ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ φίλον, καὶ τοὺς γνωστούς μου ἀπὸ ταλαιπωρίας.
KJVLover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
JPSFriend and companion hast Thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness.