Psalms 88
1 A Song. A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. To the chief music-maker; put to Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil. Of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation, I have been crying to you for help by day and by night:
A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, God of my salvation, what time I cry in the night before Thee,
2 Let my prayer come before you; give ear to my cry:
Let my prayer come before Thee, incline Thine ear unto my cry.
For my soul is sated with troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help:
I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am become as a man that hath no help;
5 My soul is among the dead, like those in the underworld, to whom you give no more thought; for they are cut off from your care.
Set apart among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom Thou rememberest no more; and they are cut off from Thy hand.
6 You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places.
Thou hast laid me in the nethermost pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
7 The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah)
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and all Thy waves Thou pressest down. (Selah)
8 You have sent my friends far away from me; you have made me a disgusting thing in their eyes: I am shut up, and not able to come out.
Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them; I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 My eyes are wasting away because of my trouble: Lord, my cry has gone up to you every day, my hands are stretched out to you.
Mine eye languisheth by reason of affliction; I have called upon Thee, O LORD, every day, I have spread forth my hands unto Thee.
10 Will you do works of wonder for the dead? will the shades come back to give you praise? (Selah)
Wilt Thou work wonders for the dead? Or shall the shades arise and give Thee thanks? (Selah)
11 Will the story of your mercy be given in the house of the dead? will news of your faith come to the place of destruction?
Shall Thy mercy be declared in the grave? or Thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 May there be knowledge of your wonders in the dark? or of your righteousness where memory is dead?
Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark? and Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to you did I send up my cry, O Lord; in the morning my prayer came before you.
But as for me, unto Thee, O LORD, do I cry, and in the morning doth my prayer come to meet Thee.
14 Lord, why have you sent away my soul? why is your face covered from me?
LORD, why castest Thou off my soul? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me?
15 I have been troubled and in fear of death from the time when I was young; your wrath is hard on me, and I have no strength.
I am afflicted and at the point of death from my youth up; I have borne Thy terrors, I am distracted.
16 The heat of your wrath has gone over me; I am broken by your cruel punishments.
Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.
17 They are round me all the day like water; they have made a circle about me.
They came round about me like water all the day; they compassed me about together.
18 You have sent my friends and lovers far from me; I am gone from the memory of those who are dear to me.
Friend and companion hast Thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
