Psalms 88:2

Ear - To work, till, or plough the ground.

Let - To hinder or obstruct.

Let my prayer come before thee - It is weak and helpless, though fervent and sincere: take all hinderances out of its way, and let it have a free passage to thy throne. One of the finest thoughts in the Iliad of Homer concerns prayer; I shall transcribe a principal part of this incomparable passage - incomparable when we consider its origin: -

Και γαρ τε Λιται εισι Διος κουραι μεγαλοιο,

Χωλαι τε, ῥυσσαι τε, παραβλωπες τ' οφθαλμω·

Αἱ ῥα τε και μετοπισθ' Ατης αλεγουσι κιουσαι·

Ἡ δ' Ατη σθεναρη τε και αρτιπος· οὑνεκα πασας

Πολλον ὑπεκπροθεει, φθανει δε τε πασαν επ' αιαν,

Βλαπτους' ανθρωπους· αἱ δ' εξακεονται ποισσω·

Ὁς μεν τ' αιδεσεται κουρας Διος, ασσον ιουσας,

Τονδε μεγ' ωνησαν, και τ' εκλυον ευξαμενοιο.

Ὁς δε κ' ανῃνηται, και τε στερεως αποειπῃ,

Λισσονται δ' αρα ταιγε Δια Κρονιωνα κιουσαι,

Τῳ Ατην ἁμ' ἑπεσθαι, ἱνα βλαφθεις αποτιση.

Αλλ', Αχιλευ, πορε και συ Διος κουρησιν ἑπεσθαι

Τιμην, ῃτ' αλλων περ επιγναμπτει φρενας εσθλων.

continued...

Let my prayer come before thee - As if there were something which hindered it, or which had obstructed the way to the throne of grace; as if God repelled it from him, and turned away his ear, and would not hear.

Incline thine ear unto my cry - See the notes at Psalm 5:1.