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 or psalm of the sons of Korach, to the chief musician upon Machalath-le'annoth, a Maskil of Heman the Ezrachite.” O Lord the God of my salvation, by day do I cry, [and] at night I am before thee.
2 Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
For my soul is sated with troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the nether world. (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 with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
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 that dwell in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more; and those that are cut off by thy hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (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.
Thou hast removed my acquaintances far from me; thou hast rendered me an abomination unto them: I am imprisoned, and I cannot go 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 eye languisheth by reason of affliction: I call on thee, O Lord, every day, I stretch out unto thee my hands.
10 Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy 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.
Yet I cry indeed aloud unto thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide thy 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 perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted.
16 Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
17 They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
18 Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
