Psalms 88
1 A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah. For the music director. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth.” A maskil by Heman the Ezrahite Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night.
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 Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
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'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
5 I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
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 You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
8 You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
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 I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 I have been sick since I was young, often at death's door. I have had to bear the terrible things you've done to me. I'm in despair!
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
