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 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.
2 Let my prayer come before you; give 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 numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help:
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has 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 who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
6 You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places.
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (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.
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 are wasting away because of my trouble: Lord, my cry has gone up to you every day, my hands are stretched out to you.
My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
10 Will you do works of wonder for the dead? will the shades come back to give you praise? (Selah)
Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? (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?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 May there be knowledge of your wonders in the dark? or of your righteousness where memory is dead?
Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your 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 to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Lord, why have you sent away my soul? why is your face covered from me?
LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your 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 ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 The heat of your wrath has gone over me; I am broken by your cruel punishments.
Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They are round me all the day like water; they have made a circle about me.
They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18 You have sent my friends and lovers far from me; I am gone from the memory of those who are dear to me.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
