Psalms 88
1 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.
A SONG. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. TO THE OVERSEER. [SET] ON “SICKNESS TO AFFLICT.” AN INSTRUCTION OF HEMAN THE EZRAHITE. O YHWH, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before You,
2 Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
My prayer comes in before You, Incline Your ear to my loud cry,
For my soul has been full of evils, And my life has come to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without strength.
5 Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
Among the dead—free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom You have not remembered anymore, Indeed, they have been cut off by Your hand.
6 They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
You have put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.
7 Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
Your fury has lain on me, And You have afflicted [with] all Your breakers. (Selah)
8 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:
You have put my acquaintance far from me, You have made me an abomination to them, Shut up—I do not go forth.
9 My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
My eye has grieved because of affliction, I called You, O YHWH, all the day, I have spread out my hands to You.
10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
Do You do wonders to the dead? Does Rephaim rise? Do they thank You? (Selah)
11 Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
Is Your kindness recounted in the grave? Your faithfulness in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
Are Your wonders known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
And I, to You, O YHWH, I have cried, And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
Why, O YHWH, do You cast off my soul? You hide Your face from me.
15 I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
I [am] afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Your terrors—I pine away.
16 Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
Your wrath has passed over me, Your terrors have cut me off,
17 They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone around against me together,
18 Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
You have put lover and friend far from me, My acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!
