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 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.
2 Let my prayer enter in your sight. Incline your ear to my petition.
Let my prayer come in before you; incline your ear to my supplication, O Lord.
For my soul is filled with troubles, and my life has drawn near to Hades. (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 have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit; I became as a man without help;
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, as the slain ones cast out, who sleep in the tomb; whom you remember no more; and they are rejected from your hand.
6 They have lain me in the lower pit: in dark places and in the shadow of death.
They laid me in the lowest pit, in dark [places], and in the shadow of death.
7 Your fury has been confirmed over me. And you have brought all your waves upon me.
Your wrath has pressed heavily upon me, and you have brought upon me all your billows. (Pause)
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.
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.
9 My eyes languished before destitution. All day long, I cried out to you, O Lord. I stretched out my hands to you.
Mine eyes are dimmed from poverty; but I cried to you, O Lord, all the day; I spread forth my hands to you.
10 Will you perform wonders for the dead? Or will physicians raise to life, and so confess to you?
Will you work wonders for the dead? or shall physicians raise [them] up, that they shall praise you?
11 Could anyone declare your mercy in the sepulcher, or your truth from within perdition?
Shall any one declare your mercy in the tomb? and your truth in destruction?
12 Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion?
Shall your wonders be known in darkness? and your righteousness in a forgotten land?
13 And I have cried out to you, O Lord, and in early morning, my prayer will come before you.
But I cried to you, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
14 Lord, why do you reject my prayer? Why do you turn your face away from me?
Therefore, O Lord, do you reject my prayer, [and] turn your face away 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 poor and in troubles from my youth; and having been exalted, I was brought low and into despair.
16 Your wrath has crossed into me, and your terrors have disturbed me.
Your wrath has passed over me; and your terrors have greatly disquieted me.
17 They have surrounded me like water, all day long. They have surrounded me, all at once.
They compassed me like water; all the day they beset me together.
18 Friend and neighbor, and my acquaintances, you have sent far away from me, away from misery.
You have put far from me [every] friend, and mine acquaintances because of [my] wretchedness.
