Psalms 88
1 A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You.
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. Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
2 May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.
Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength.
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
5 I am forsaken among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, who are cut off from Your care.
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.
6 You have laid me in the lowest Pit, in the darkest of the depths.
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me.
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
8 You have removed my friends from me; You have made me repulsive to them; I am confined and cannot escape.
You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
9 My eyes grow dim with grief. I call to You daily, O LORD; I spread out my hands to You.
My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you.
10 Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?
Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
11 Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?
Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to You, O LORD, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You.
But to you, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O LORD, do You reject me? Why do You hide Your face from me?
Yahweh, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I was afflicted and near death. I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your wrath has swept over me; Your terrors have destroyed me.
Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17 All day long they engulf me like water; they enclose me on every side.
They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18 You have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
