Psalms 88
1 A Canticle Psalm to the sons of Korah. Unto the end. For Mahalath, to answer the understanding of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation: I have cried out, day and night, in your presence.
A song or Psalme of Heman the Ezrahite to give instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah for him that excelleth upon Malath Leannoth. O Lord God of my saluation, I cry day and night before thee.
2 Let my prayer enter in your sight. Incline your ear to my petition.
Let my prayer enter into thy presence: incline thine eare vnto my cry.
For my soule is filled with euils, and my life draweth neere to the graue. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am considered to be among those who will descend into the pit. I have become like a man without assistance,
I am counted among them that go downe vnto the pit, and am as a man without strength:
5 idle among the dead. I am like the wounded sleeping in sepulchers, whom you no longer remember, and who have been repelled by your hand.
Free among the dead, like the slaine lying in the graue, whome thou remembrest no more, and they are cut off from thine hand.
6 They have lain me in the lower pit: in dark places and in the shadow of death.
Thou hast layde me in the lowest pit, in darkenes, and in the deepe.
7 Your fury has been confirmed over me. And you have brought all your waves upon me.
Thine indignation lyeth vpon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy waues. (Selah)
8 You have sent my acquaintances far from me. They have set me as an abomination to themselves. I was handed over, yet I did not depart.
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance farre from me, and made mee to be abhorred of them: I am shut vp, and cannot get foorth.
9 My eyes languished before destitution. All day long, I cried out to you, O Lord. I stretched out my hands to you.
Mine eye is sorowfull through mine affliction: Lord, I call dayly vpon thee: I stretch out mine hands vnto thee.
10 Will you perform wonders for the dead? Or will physicians raise to life, and so confess to you?
Wilt thou shewe a miracle to the dead? or shall the dead rise and prayse thee? (Selah)
11 Could anyone declare your mercy in the sepulcher, or your truth from within perdition?
Shall thy louing kindenes be declared in the graue? or thy faithfulnes in destruction?
12 Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion?
Shall thy wonderous workes be knowen in the darke? and thy righteousnes in the land of obliuion?
13 And I have cried out to you, O Lord, and in early morning, my prayer will come before you.
But vnto thee haue I cryed, O Lord, and early shall my prayer come before thee.
14 Lord, why do you reject my prayer? Why do you turn your face away from me?
Lord, why doest thou reiect my soule, and hidest thy face from me?
15 I am poor, and I have been amid hardships from my youth. And, though I have been exalted, I am humbled and disturbed.
I am afflicted and at the point of death: from my youth I suffer thy terrours, doubting of my life.
16 Your wrath has crossed into me, and your terrors have disturbed me.
Thine indignations goe ouer me, and thy feare hath cut me off.
17 They have surrounded me like water, all day long. They have surrounded me, all at once.
They came round about me dayly like water, and compassed me together.
18 Friend and neighbor, and my acquaintances, you have sent far away from me, away from misery.
My louers and friends hast thou put away from me, and mine acquaintance hid themselues.
