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 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 your presence. Turn your 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 counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like 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 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.
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 You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
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 away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
9 My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth 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 justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your 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 your terrors, I am distracted.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
