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 canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
2 Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell. (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 them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without 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.
Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
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.
Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
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 languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice 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 I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, [and] I am distracted.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
