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 you.
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:
2 Let my prayer come in before you; incline your ear to my supplication, O Lord.
Let my prayer come before you; give ear to my cry:
For my soul is full of evils, and my life has come near to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
4 I have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit; I became as a man without help;
I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help:
5 free amongst the dead, as the slain ones cast out, who sleep in the tomb; whom you remember no more; and they are rejected from your hand.
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.
6 They laid me in the lowest pit, in dark [places], and in the shadow of death.
You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places.
7 Your wrath has pressed heavily upon me, and you have brought upon me all your billows. (Pause)
The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah)
8 You have 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 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.
9 Mine eyes are dimmed from poverty; but I cried to you, O Lord, all the day; I spread forth my hands to you.
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.
10 Will you work wonders for the dead? or shall physicians raise [them] up, that they shall praise you?
Will you do works of wonder for the dead? will the shades come back to give you praise? (Selah)
11 Shall any one declare your mercy in the tomb? and your truth in destruction?
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?
12 Shall your wonders be known in darkness? and your righteousness in a forgotten land?
May there be knowledge of your wonders in the dark? or of your righteousness where memory is dead?
13 But I cried to you, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
But to you did I send up my cry, O Lord; in the morning my prayer came before you.
14 Therefore, O Lord, do you reject my prayer, [and] turn your face away from me?
Lord, why have you sent away my soul? why is your face covered from me?
15 I am poor and in troubles from my youth; and having been exalted, I was brought low and into despair.
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.
16 Your wrath has passed over me; and your terrors have greatly disquieted me.
The heat of your wrath has gone over me; I am broken by your cruel punishments.
17 They compassed me like water; all the day they beset me together.
They are round me all the day like water; they have made a circle about me.
18 You have put far from me [every] friend, and mine acquaintances because of [my] wretchedness.
You have sent my friends and lovers far from me; I am gone from the memory of those who are dear to me.
