Psalms 88
1 O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.
A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
2 Let my prayer enter into thy presence. Incline thine ear to my cry.
Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am reckoned with those who go down into the pit. I am as a man who has no help,
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
5 cast off among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom thou remember no more, and they are cut off from thy hand.
Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
6 Thou have laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Thy wrath lays hard upon me, and thou have afflicted me with all thy waves. (Selah)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
8 Thou have put my acquaintances far from me. Thou have made me an abomination to them. I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
9 My eye wastes away because of affliction. I have called daily upon thee, O Jehovah, I have spread forth my hands to thee.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Will thou show wonders to the dead? Shall those who are deceased arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, and in the morning my prayer shall come before thee.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 Jehovah, why do thou cast off my soul? Why do thou hide thy face from me?
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer thy terrors I am confounded.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Thy fierce wrath has gone over me. Thy terrors have cut me off.
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 They came round about me like water all the day long. They encompassed me around together.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 Thou have put beloved and friend far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
