Psalms 88
1 A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite. LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
A Song, a Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the chief Musician. Upon Mahalath Leannoth. An instruction. Of Heman the Ezrahite. Jehovah, God of my salvation, I have cried by day [and] in the night before thee.
2 Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength:
5 set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
Prostrate among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand.
6 You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
8 You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I cannot escape.
Thou hast put my familiar friends far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
Mine eye consumeth by reason of affliction. Upon thee, Jehovah, have I called every day; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
10 Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
11 Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.
14 LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, [and] I am distracted.
16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
17 They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
