Psalms 88
1 O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.
A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah. For the music director. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth.” A maskil by Heman the Ezrahite Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night.
2 Let my prayer enter into thy presence. Incline thine ear to my cry.
Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
My life is full of troubles, and my death is approaching. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am reckoned with those who go down into the pit. I am as a man who has no help,
I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
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.
I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
6 Thou have laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
7 Thy wrath lays hard upon me, and thou have afflicted me with all thy waves. (Selah)
Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
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.
You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
9 My eye wastes away because of affliction. I have called daily upon thee, O Jehovah, I have spread forth my hands to thee.
I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
10 Will thou show wonders to the dead? Shall those who are deceased arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known 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 cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
14 Jehovah, why do thou cast off my soul? Why do thou hide thy face from me?
Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer thy terrors I am confounded.
I have been sick since I was young, often at death's door. I have had to bear the terrible things you've done to me. I'm in despair!
16 Thy fierce wrath has gone over me. Thy terrors have cut me off.
Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
17 They came round about me like water all the day long. They encompassed me around together.
They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
18 Thou have put beloved and friend far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.
You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
