Psalms 88
1 A Song, a Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the chief Musician. Upon Mahalath Leannoth. An instruction. Of Heman the Ezrahite. Jehovah, God of my salvation, I have cried by day [and] in the night before thee.
A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite. LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol (Sheol h7585).
4 I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength:
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
5 Prostrate among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand.
set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
8 Thou hast put my familiar friends far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I cannot escape.
9 Mine eye consumeth by reason of affliction. Upon thee, Jehovah, have I called every day; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
10 Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.
But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, [and] I am distracted.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18 Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
