Psalms 88:7

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. Selah.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Your wrath lies heavily on me; your waves crashing over me keep me down. (Selah)

Berean Standard Bible:

Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me. Selah

American Standard Version:

Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. [Selah

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Thy wrath^{H2534} lieth hard^{H5564}{H8804)} upon me, and thou hast afflicted^{H6031}{H8765)} me with all thy waves^{H4867}. Selah^{H5542}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Psalms 42:7

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Job 6:4

For the arrows of the Almighty [are] within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Romans 2:5

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Romans 2:9

Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

1 Peter 2:24

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Psalms 38:1

¶ A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Revelation 6:16

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

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Commentary for Psalms 88:7

Psalm 88:7 is part of a lament psalm traditionally attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, who is mentioned in 1 Kings 4:31 as a man known for his wisdom. This particular verse reflects the deep distress of the psalmist, who feels overwhelmed by God's anger and affliction. The imagery of "waves" suggests a powerful and relentless force, much like the sea's waves, which metaphorically represent the troubles and trials that the psalmist is enduring.

In the historical context of the ancient Near East, the experience of suffering was often interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure or punishment. The psalmist's cry conveys a sense of abandonment and the belief that his current state is a result of God's direct action. The term "Selah," which appears at the end of the verse, is of uncertain meaning but is commonly thought to be a musical or liturgical notation, perhaps indicating a pause for reflection or an instruction for a musical interlude.

The themes present in Psalm 88:7 include the struggle with divine wrath, the feeling of being afflicted by God, and the plea for divine attention and intervention. Unlike other lament psalms that typically end with expressions of hope or trust in God, Psalm 88 maintains an unresolved tone of despair throughout, making it one of the most poignant expressions of suffering in the Hebrew Bible. It speaks to the human condition, giving voice to those who feel crushed by life's circumstances and the weight of what they perceive as divine disfavor.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

Strong's Number: H2534
There are 117 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵמָה
Transliteration: chêmâh
Pronunciation: khay-maw'
Description: or (Daniel 11:44) חֵמָא; from יָחַם; heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever); anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(-ful). See חֶמְאָה.
Strong's Number: H5564
There are 47 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סָמַךְ
Transliteration: çâmak
Pronunciation: saw-mak'
Description: a primitive root; to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense); bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay (self), sustain.
Strong's Number: H6031
There are 80 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָנָה
Transliteration: ʻânâh
Pronunciation: aw-naw'
Description: a primitive root (possibly rather identical with עָנָה through the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows); abase self, afflict(-ion, self), answer (by mistake for עָנָה), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing (by mistake for עָנָה), speak (by mistake for עָנָה), submit self, weaken, [idiom] in any wise.
Strong's Number: H4867
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִשְׁבָּר
Transliteration: mishbâr
Pronunciation: mish-bawr'
Description: from שָׁבַר; a breaker (of the sea); billow, wave.
Strong's Number: H5542
There are 74 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סֶלָה
Transliteration: çelâh
Pronunciation: seh'-law
Description: from סָלָה; suspension (of music), i.e. pause; Selah.

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