Psalms 88
1 A song of a Psalm for the sons of Core for the end, upon Maeleth for responsive [strains], of instruction for Aeman the Israelite. O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried by day and in the night before thee.
A SONG. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. TO THE OVERSEER. [SET] ON “SICKNESS TO AFFLICT.” AN INSTRUCTION OF HEMAN THE EZRAHITE. O YHWH, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before You,
2 Let my prayer come in before thee; incline thine ear to my supplication, O Lord.
My prayer comes in before You, Incline Your ear to my loud cry,
For my soul has been full of evils, And my life has come to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit; I became as a man without help;
I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without strength.
5 free among the dead, as the slain ones cast out, who sleep in the tomb; whom thou rememberest no more; and they are rejected from thy hand.
Among the dead—free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom You have not remembered anymore, Indeed, they have been cut off by Your hand.
6 They laid me in the lowest pit, in dark [places], and in the shadow of death.
You have put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.
7 Thy wrath has pressed heavily upon me, and thou hast brought upon me all thy billows. (Pause)
Your fury has lain on me, And You have afflicted [with] all Your breakers. (Selah)
8 Thou hast removed my acquaintance far from me; they have made me an abomination to themselves; I have been delivered up, and have not gone forth.
You have put my acquaintance far from me, You have made me an abomination to them, Shut up—I do not go forth.
9 Mine eyes are dimmed from poverty; but I cried to thee, O Lord, all the day; I spread forth my hands to thee.
My eye has grieved because of affliction, I called You, O YHWH, all the day, I have spread out my hands to You.
10 Wilt thou work wonders for the dead? or shall physicians raise [them] up, that they shall praise thee?
Do You do wonders to the dead? Does Rephaim rise? Do they thank You? (Selah)
11 Shall any one declare thy mercy in the tomb? and thy truth in destruction?
Is Your kindness recounted in the grave? Your faithfulness in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in darkness? and thy righteousness in a forgotten land?
Are Your wonders known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cried to thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
And I, to You, O YHWH, I have cried, And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Wherefore, O Lord, dost thou reject my prayer, [and] turn thy face away from me?
Why, O YHWH, do You cast off my soul? You hide Your face from me.
15 I am poor and in troubles from my youth; and having been exalted, I was brought low and into despair.
I [am] afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Your terrors—I pine away.
16 Thy wrath has passed over me; and thy terrors have greatly disquieted me.
Your wrath has passed over me, Your terrors have cut me off,
17 They compassed me like water; all the day they beset me together.
They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone around against me together,
18 Thou hast put far from me [every] friend, and mine acquaintances because of [my] wretchedness.
You have put lover and friend far from me, My acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!
