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, a psalm of the Korahites. To the leader: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord my God, I cry for help in the day-time, in the night my cry is before you;
2 Let my prayer enter in your sight. Incline your ear to my petition.
let my prayer come into your presence, incline your ear to my cry.
For I am sated with sorrow, my life draws near to Sheol. (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 with those who go down to the pit; without strength am I.
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.
My home is among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom you remember no more cut off as they are from your hand.
6 They have lain me in the lower pit: in dark places and in the shadow of death.
In the deepest pit you have put me, in shadows deep and dark.
7 Your fury has been confirmed over me. And you have brought all your waves upon me.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me, waves of your anger roll over me. (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.
You have put my friends far from me, you have made them shun me. I am shut in, and cannot escape,
9 My eyes languished before destitution. All day long, I cried out to you, O Lord. I stretched out my hands to you.
my eyes are wasted with sorrow. I call on you, Lord, every day, spreading my hands out to you.
10 Will you perform wonders for the dead? Or will physicians raise to life, and so confess to you?
For the dead can you work wonders? Can the shades rise again to praise you? (Selah)
11 Could anyone declare your mercy in the sepulcher, or your truth from within perdition?
Can your kindness be told in the grave, your faithfulness in the tomb?
12 Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion?
Can your wonders be known in the darkness, or your help in the land of forgetfulness?
13 And I have cried out to you, O Lord, and in early morning, my prayer will come before you.
I cry for help to you, in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Lord, why do you reject my prayer? Why do you turn your face away from me?
Why, O Lord, do you spurn me, and hide your 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.
From my youth I am wretched and dying, I am numbed by the terrors I bear.
16 Your wrath has crossed into me, and your terrors have disturbed me.
The fires of your wrath have passed over me, your terrors destroy me,
17 They have surrounded me like water, all day long. They have surrounded me, all at once.
surging around me forever, hemming me in altogether.
18 Friend and neighbor, and my acquaintances, you have sent far away from me, away from misery.
Those who love me you put far from me; the dark is my only friend.
