< 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 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 come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
let my prayer come into your presence, incline your ear to my cry.
3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh to Sheol. (Sheol )
For I am sated with sorrow, my life draws near to Sheol. (Sheol )
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 who go down to the pit; without strength am I.
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.
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 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
In the deepest pit you have put me, in shadows deep and dark.
7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavy upon me, waves of your anger roll over 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.
You have put my friends far from me, you have made them shun me. I am shut in, and 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 wasted with sorrow. I call on you, Lord, every day, spreading my hands out to you.
10 Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
For the dead can you work wonders? Can the shades rise again to praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Can your kindness be told in the grave, your faithfulness in the tomb?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Can your wonders be known in the darkness, or your help in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.
I cry for help to you, in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Why, O Lord, do you spurn me, and hide your face from me?
15 I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, [and] I am distracted.
From my youth I am wretched and dying, I am numbed by the terrors I bear.
16 Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
The fires of your wrath have passed over me, your terrors destroy me,
17 They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
surging around me forever, hemming me in altogether.
18 Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
Those who love me you put far from me; the dark is my only friend.