## Rashi on Psalms Chapter 88

###### Rashi on Psalms 88:1:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:1:1)

**עַל מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת.** עַל חוֹלַת אַהֲבָה וְעִנּוּיָהּ, שֶׁהִיא מְעֻנָּה בְּיִסּוּרֵי הַגָּלוּת:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**about the sick and afflicted one** Heb. על-מחלתלענות, concerning the one sick with love and afflicted, for she is afflicted with the pains of the exile.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:1:2
[Rashi on Psalms 88:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:1:2)

**מַשְׂכִּיל.** כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַשְׂכִּיל, עַל יְדֵי תּוּרְגְּמָן נֶאֱמַר; שֶׁהָיָה הַנָּבִיא מַעֲמִיד תּוּרְגְּמָן לְפָנָיו, וּכְשֶׁרוּחַ הַנְּבוּאָה בָּאָה לוֹ, אוֹמֵר אֶת הַנְּבוּאָה לַתּוּרְגְּמָן, וְהוּא מַשְׁמִיעָהּ (פסחים קיז.):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**of Heman the Ezrahite** One of the musicians who played a musical instrument, and the sons of Korah established this psalm that Heman should recite it on the “duchan” [the platform].


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:1:3
[Rashi on Psalms 88:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:1:3)

**לְהֵימָן הָאֶזְרָחִי.** אֶחָד מִן הַמְשׁוֹרְרִים בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר, וְיִסְּדוּהוּ בְּנֵי קֹרַח אֶת הַמִּזְמוֹר הַזֶּה שֶׁיֹּאמְרֵהוּ הֵימָן עַל הַדּוּכָן (דברי הימים א ו:לג):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**of Heman the Ezrahite** He was one of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, for his lineage is delineated in (I Chron. 2:6): “And the sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda [sic].” All five were great sages, as is said in reference to Solomon (I Kings 5: 11): “And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezraite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol,” and they established the Psalms, which were set down in the Book of Psalms. Therefore, they are called the sons of Mahol. So have I found in exact commentaries.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:1:4
[Rashi on Psalms 88:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:1:4)

**לְהֵימָן הָאֶזְרָחִי.** מִבְּנֵי זֶרַח בֶּן יְהוּדָה הָיָה, שֶׁהוּא מְיֻחָס (דברי הימים א ב:ו) וּבְנֵי זֶרַח זִמְרִי וְאֵיתָן וְהֵימָן וְכַלְכֹּל וְדַרְדַּע כֻּלָּם חֲמִשָּׁה. הָיוּ חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּשְׁלֹמֹה (מלכים א ה:יא) ״וַיֶּחְכַּם מִכָּל הָאָדָם מֵאֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי וְהֵימָן וְכַלְכֹּל וְדַרְדַּע בְּנֵי מָחוֹל״. וְיִסְּדוּ מִזְמוֹרִים וְנִקְבְּעוּ בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים, לְכָךְ נִקְרְאוּ בְּנֵי מָחוֹל. כָּךְ מָצָאתִי בְּפֵרוּשִׁים מְדֻיָּקִים:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**a maskil** Wherever it says “maskil,” it was said through an interpreter. The prophet would set up an interpreter before him, and when he perceived a prophecy coming upon him, he would recite the prophecy to the interpreter, who would make it heard.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:2:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:2:1)

**יוֹם צָעַקְתִּי.** וְגַם **בַלַּיְלָה** אֲנִי נָכוֹן **נֶגְדֶּךָ**:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**I cried by day; at night** And also at night I am ready before You.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:4:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:4:1)

**כִּי שָׂבְעָה בְרָעוֹת נַפְשִׁי.** עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא אוֹמֵר:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**For my soul is sated with troubles** He says this concerning the people of Israel.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:5:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:5:1)

**אֵין אַיִל.** אֵין כֹּחַ, כְּמוֹ ״אֱיָלוּתִי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה״ (תהלים כב:כ):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**without strength** Heb. איל, as (above 22:20): “My strength (אילותי), hasten to my assistance.”


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:6:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:6:1)

**בַּמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי.** הִנְנִי בֵּין הַמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְכָל שֶׁהֵם הַמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁים מִן הָעוֹלָם:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**among the dead, who are free** I am among the dead, free from the world, and like the slain, who are free from the world.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:6:2
[Rashi on Psalms 88:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:6:2)

**מִיָּדְךָ נִגְזָרוּ.** מִמִּצְווֹתֶיךָ נִגְזְרוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and who were cut off by Your hand** By Your blows, they were cut off from the world.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:7:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:7:1)

**בְּבוֹר תַּחְתִּיּוֹת.** הוּא הַגָּלוּת:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**You have put me into the lowest pit** That is the exile.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:8:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:8:1)

**סָמְכָה.** נִשְׁעֲנָה וְתָלָה **עָלַי**:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**lies hard** leans and hangs [sic] on me.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:8:2
[Rashi on Psalms 88:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:8:2)

**וְכָל־מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ עִנִּיתָ סֶּלָה.** מִשְׁבָּרִים לְשׁוֹן גַּלֵּי הַיָּם הֵם, כָּל סַעֲרַת אַפְּךָ, בְּכֻלָּם עִנִּיתָ אוֹתִי תָּמִיד (עירובין נד.):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and [with] all Your waves You have afflicted [me] constantly** Heb. משבריך, an expression of the waves of the sea. They are all the storms of Your wrath; with all of them have You constantly afflicted me.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:9:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:9:1)

**שַׁתַּנִי תוֹעֵבוֹת לָמוֹ.** הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁהָיִיתִי חֲשׁוּבָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם, עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי נִמְאֶסֶת לָהֶם:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**You have made me an abomination to them** The nations, in whose eyes I was esteemed—now I am repugnant to them.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:9:2
[Rashi on Psalms 88:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:9:2)

**כָּלוּא.** נֶחְבַּשׁ בַּכֶּלֶא וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לָצֵאת:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**[I am] imprisoned** Confined in a prison, and I cannot go out.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:11:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:11:1)

**הֲלַמֵּתִים.** הֲלָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁאַף בְּחַיֵּיהֶם קְרוּיִין מֵתִים (ברכות יח.), הֲלָהֶם אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה **פֶּלֶא** וְנִסִּים?

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**Will You perform a wonder for the dead?** Do You perform a wonder and miracles for the wicked, who are called dead even in their lifetime?


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:11:2
[Rashi on Psalms 88:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:11:2)

**אִם רְפָאִים יָקוּמוּ יוֹדוּךָ.** שֶׁמָּא אֵלּוּ הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁרִפּוּ יְדֵיהֶם מֵעֲבוֹדָתְךָ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ יָקוּמוּ וְיוֹדוּךָ? בִּתְמִיהָה:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**Will the shades rise and thank You** Heb. רפאים, lit. the weak. Will the nations that weakened their [Israel’s] hands from Your service rise and thank You? This is a wonder.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:12:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:12:1)

**הֲיְסֻפַּר בַּקֶּבֶר חַסְדֶּךָ.** אִם נָמוּת בְּיַד אוֹיְבֵינוּ, כְּלוּם נוּכַל לְסַפֵּר שִׁבְחֲךָ בַּקֶּבֶר?

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**Will Your kindness be told in the grave** if we die in the hands of our enemies, will we be able to recite Your praise in the grave?


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:16:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:16:1)

**וְגוֹעֵעַ מִנֹּעַר.** מֵת מִתּוֹךְ תִּשְׁנוֹק מִיתָה חֲטוּפָה, כְּמוֹ (שמות יד:כז) ״וַיְנַעֵר ה׳״. וַיְנַעֵר פֵּרֵשׁ מְנַחֵם לְשׁוֹן חֲבִיטָה, כְּמוֹ ״נוֹעֵר כַּפָּיו מִתְּמֹךְ בַּשֹּׁחַד״ (ישעיהו לג:טו), ״הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְׁבִי״ (ישעיהו נב:ב), ״וְהָיָה הֶחָסֹן לִנְעֹרֶת״ (ישעיהו א:לא), ״וְיִנָּעֲרוּ רְשָׁעִים מִמֶּנָּה״ (איוב לח:יג), ״כָּכָה יְהֵא נָעוּר וָרִיק״ (נחמיה ה:יג):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and close to sudden death** Heb. וגוע מנער, dying from the strangulation of sudden death, as (Exod. 14:27): “and the Lord strangled (וינער).” Menachem (p. 123) defines וינער as an expression of beating, as (Isa. 33:15): “who shakes (נוער) his hands from taking hold of bribe”; (Isa. 52:2), “Shake yourself (התנערי) from the dust, arise”; (Isa. 1:31), “And the[ir] strength will become as tow (לנערת)”; (Job 38: 13), “so that the wicked will be shaken (וינערו) from it”; (Neh. 5:13), “even thus may he be shaken out (נעור) and emptied.”


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:16:2
[Rashi on Psalms 88:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:16:2)

**אָפוּנָה.** מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת וּמְבֻסֶּסֶת אֵימָתְךָ בְּלִבִּי, **אָפוּנָה** לְשׁוֹן ״דָּבָר דָּבֻר עַל אָפְנָיו״ (משלי כה:יא), עַל מְכוֹנָיו:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**it is well-founded** Heb. אפונה. Your fear is settled and based in my heart. אפוּנה is an expression of (Prov. 25:11): “a word spoken with proper basis (אפניו)”; on its basis.


###### Rashi on Psalms 88:19:1
[Rashi on Psalms 88:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/88:19:1)

**מְיֻדָּעַי מַחְשָׁךְ.** נֶחְשַׁכְתִּי וְנֶחְדַּלְתִּי מֵהֶם:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**From my acquaintances, I am withdrawn** Heb. מחשך. I am withdrawn and withheld from them.