Psalms 88:6

88:6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, ¹ 

in the dark places, in the watery depths.

Psalms 143:3

143:3 Certainly ²  my enemies ³  chase me.

They smash me into the ground. ⁴ 

They force me to live ⁵  in dark regions, ⁶ 

like those who have been dead for ages.

[88:6]  ¹ tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.

[143:3]  ² tn Or “for.”

[143:3]  ³ tn Heb “an enemy.” The singular is used in a representative sense to describe a typical member of the larger group of enemies (note the plural “enemies” in vv. 9, 12).

[143:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “he crushes on the ground my life.”

[143:3]  ⁵ tn Or “sit.”

[143:3]  ⁶ sn Dark regions refers to Sheol, which the psalmist views as a dark place located deep in the ground (see Ps 88:6).