Week 38 Qorach (Korah)

Psalm 87
By Korah’s descendants; a psalm; a song.
¹ The city Yahweh has founded stands on holy mountains.
² Yahweh loves the city of Zion
    more than any other place in Jacob.
³ Glorious things are said about you, O city of Elohim! Selah
⁴ The Lord says, “I will add Egypt and Babylon
    as well as Philistia, Tyre, and Sudan
        to the list of those who acknowledge me.
            Each nation will claim that it was born there.”
⁵ But it will be said of Zion,
    “Every race is born in it.
        Elyon will make it secure.”
⁶ Yahweh will record this in the Book of Nations:
    “Every race claims that it was born there.” Selah
⁷ Singers and dancers will sing,
    “Zion is the source of all our blessings.”

Psalm 88
A song; a psalm by Korah’s descendants; for the choir director; according to mahalath leannoth;^[a] a maskil by Heman the Ezrahite.
¹ O Yahweh Elohim, my savior,
    I cry out to you during the day and at night.
²         Let my prayer come into your presence.
            Turn your ear to hear my cries.
³ My soul is filled with troubles,
    and my life comes closer to the grave.
⁴         I am numbered with those who go into the pit.
        I am like a man without any strength—
⁵             abandoned with the dead,
            like those who have been killed and lie in graves,
            like those whom you no longer remember,
                who are cut off from your power.
⁶ You have put me in the bottom of the pit—in deep, dark places.
⁷ Your rage lies heavily on me.
    You make all your waves pound on me. Selah
⁸ You have taken my friends far away from me.
    You made me disgusting to them.
    I’m shut in, and I can’t get out.
⁹         My eyes grow weak because of my suffering.
            All day long I call out to you, O Yahweh.
                I stretch out my hands to you in prayer.
¹⁰ Will you perform miracles for those who are dead?
    Will the spirits of the dead rise and give thanks to you? Selah
¹¹ Will anyone tell about your mercy in Sheol
    or about your faithfulness in Abaddon?
¹² Will anyone know about your miracles in that dark place
    or about your righteousness in the place where forgotten people live?
¹³ I cry out to you for help, O Yahweh,
    and in the morning my prayer will come into your presence.
¹⁴ Why do you reject my soul, O Yahweh?
    Why do you hide your face from me?
¹⁵ Ever since I was young, I have been suffering and near death.
    I have endured your terrors, and now I am in despair.^[b]
16 Your burning anger has swept over me.
    Your terrors have destroyed me.
¹⁷ They swirl around me all day long like water.
    They surround me on all sides.
¹⁸ You have taken my loved ones and friends far away from me.
    Darkness is my only friend!^[c]

Psalms 87 and 88