Psalm 88:4
New International Version
I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength.

New Living Translation
I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left.

English Standard Version
I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength,

Berean Standard Bible
I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength.

King James Bible
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

New King James Version
I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength,

New American Standard Bible
I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength,

NASB 1995
I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength,

NASB 1977
I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength,

Legacy Standard Bible
I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength,

Amplified Bible
I am counted among those who go down to the pit (grave); I am like a man who has no strength [a mere shadow],

Christian Standard Bible
I am counted among those going down to the Pit. I am like a man without strength,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I am counted among those going down to the Pit. I am like a man without strength,

American Standard Version
I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no help,

Contemporary English Version
I am as good as dead and completely helpless.

English Revised Version
I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no help:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I am numbered with those who go into the pit. I am like a man without any strength-

Good News Translation
I am like all others who are about to die; all my strength is gone.

International Standard Version
I am considered as one of those descending into the Pit, like a mighty man without strength,

Majority Standard Bible
I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength.

NET Bible
They treat me like those who descend into the grave. I am like a helpless man,

New Heart English Bible
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,

Webster's Bible Translation
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

World English Bible
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, "" I have been as a man without strength.

Young's Literal Translation
I have been reckoned with those going down to the pit, I have been as a man without strength.

Smith's Literal Translation
I was reckoned with those going down to the pit: I was as a man of no strength:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,

Catholic Public Domain Version
I am considered to be among those who will descend into the pit. I have become like a man without assistance,

New American Bible
I am reckoned with those who go down to the pit; I am like a warrior without strength.

New Revised Standard Version
I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; I am like those who have no help,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am like a man who has no strength;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I am counted with those who descend to the pit and I have been like a man who has no helper!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am become as a man that hath no help;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit; I became as a man without help;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Day and Night I Cry Out Before You
3For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. 4I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength. 5I am forsaken among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, who are cut off from Your care.…

Cross References
Job 17:1
“My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me.

Isaiah 38:10-11
I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.” / I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world.

Lamentations 3:6
He has made me dwell in darkness like those dead for ages.

Job 10:21-22
before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom, / to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”

Psalm 143:3
For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead.

Psalm 31:12
I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel.

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Job 3:11-13
Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb? / Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed? / For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest

Psalm 6:5
For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?

Psalm 28:1
Of David. To You, O LORD, I call; be not deaf to me, O my Rock. For if You remain silent, I will be like those descending to the Pit.

Ezekiel 37:11
Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’

Matthew 26:38
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

2 Corinthians 1:8-9
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. / Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.

Philippians 2:27
He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

2 Timothy 4:6
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.


Treasury of Scripture

I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength:

counted

Psalm 28:1
A Psalm of David. Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Psalm 30:9
What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

Psalm 143:7
Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

as a man

Psalm 31:12
I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

Psalm 109:22-24
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me…

Romans 5:6
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Jump to Previous
Counted Earth Help Numbered Pit Reckoned Strength
Jump to Next
Counted Earth Help Numbered Pit Reckoned Strength
Psalm 88
1. A prayer containing a grievous complaint.














I am counted among those descending to the Pit.
This phrase reflects a deep sense of despair and abandonment, often associated with Sheol, the realm of the dead in ancient Hebrew thought. The "Pit" is a metaphor for death or the grave, a place of darkness and separation from the living. In biblical context, Sheol is not necessarily a place of punishment but rather a shadowy existence. This imagery is consistent with other Old Testament references, such as in Job 17:16 and Isaiah 38:18, where the Pit symbolizes hopelessness and the finality of death. The psalmist's lament can be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's own descent into death, as mentioned in Acts 2:27, where Jesus' resurrection is a triumph over the grave, offering hope beyond the Pit.

I am like a man without strength.
This phrase emphasizes the psalmist's feeling of utter weakness and helplessness. In the cultural and historical context of ancient Israel, strength was often associated with divine favor and protection. The absence of strength suggests a perceived distance from God, akin to the suffering servant in Isaiah 53:3-5, who is "despised and rejected by men." This imagery also connects to the New Testament portrayal of Jesus in His passion, where He willingly became weak and vulnerable, as seen in Philippians 2:7-8. The psalmist's condition mirrors the human experience of frailty and dependence on God, pointing to the ultimate strength found in Christ's resurrection and victory over sin and death.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Psalmist (Heman the Ezrahite)
The author of Psalm 88, traditionally identified as Heman the Ezrahite, is expressing deep despair and a sense of abandonment. Heman was a wise man and a musician in the time of King David, known for his role in temple worship.

2. The Pit
In Hebrew, the word "pit" ("bor") often refers to Sheol, the realm of the dead. It symbolizes a place of darkness and separation from the living, reflecting the psalmist's feeling of being close to death.

3. The Context of Lament
Psalm 88 is a lament, a type of psalm that expresses sorrow, grief, and a plea for God's intervention. It is unique in its unrelenting tone of despair, without a resolution of hope within the psalm itself.
Teaching Points
Understanding Despair
Recognize that even the faithful can experience profound despair and feelings of abandonment. This psalm gives voice to those moments when God seems distant.

The Reality of Human Frailty
Acknowledge our human limitations and the times when we feel powerless. This recognition can lead us to a deeper reliance on God.

The Importance of Lament
Embrace lament as a valid form of prayer. It is an honest expression of our struggles and a way to maintain communication with God, even in the darkest times.

Hope Beyond the Psalm
While Psalm 88 does not end with hope, the broader biblical account assures us of God's faithfulness and redemption. We are encouraged to look beyond our immediate circumstances to the promises of God.

Community Support
Encourage seeking support from the faith community during times of despair. Sharing our burdens with others can provide comfort and strength.(4) As a man . . .--Rather, like a hero whose strength is gone.

Verse 4. - I am counted with them that go down into the pit; i.e. "to the grave." I am reckoned as one just about to die. I am as a man that hath no strength. All my strength is departed from me; I am utterly feeble and weak - a mere shadow of my former self. Physical weakness, something like paralysis, seems to be meant.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I am counted
נֶ֭חְשַׁבְתִּי (neḥ·šaḇ·tî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2803: To think, account

among
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

those descending
י֣וֹרְדֵי (yō·wr·ḏê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

to the pit.
ב֑וֹר (ḇō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 953: A pit, cistern, well

I am
הָ֝יִ֗יתִי (hā·yî·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like a man
כְּגֶ֣בֶר (kə·ḡe·ḇer)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1397: A valiant man, warrior, a person simply

without
אֵֽין־ (’ên-)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

strength.
אֱיָֽל׃ (’ĕ·yāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 353: Strength


Links
Psalm 88:4 NIV
Psalm 88:4 NLT
Psalm 88:4 ESV
Psalm 88:4 NASB
Psalm 88:4 KJV

Psalm 88:4 BibleApps.com
Psalm 88:4 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 88:4 Chinese Bible
Psalm 88:4 French Bible
Psalm 88:4 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 88:4 I am counted among those who go (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 88:3
Top of Page
Top of Page