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.
O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you:
2 Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
Let my prayer come before you: incline your ear unto my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draws nigh unto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
4 I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength:
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 that lie in the grave, whom you remember no more: and they are cut off from your hand.
6 You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
You have laid me in the low pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
7 Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
Your wrath lies hard upon me, and you have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
8 You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
You have put away mine acquaintance far from me; you have made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
Mine eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon you, I have stretched out my hands unto you.
10 Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
Will you show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise you? (Selah)
11 Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
Shall your loving kindness be declared in the grave? or your faithfulness in destruction?
12 Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall your wonders be known in the dark? and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
But unto you have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
14 Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
LORD, why cast you off my soul? why hide you your 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 afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer your terrors I am distracted.
16 Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
Your fierce wrath goes over me; your terrors have cut me off.
17 They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
18 You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
Lover and friend have you put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
