Psalms 88
1 O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you:
A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You.
2 Let my prayer come before you: incline your ear unto my cry;
May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength:
I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength.
5 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.
I am forsaken among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, who are cut off from Your care.
6 You have laid me in the low pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
You have laid me in the lowest Pit, in the darkest of the depths.
7 Your wrath lies hard upon me, and you have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me.
8 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.
You have removed my friends from me; You have made me repulsive to them; I am confined and cannot escape.
9 Mine eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon you, I have stretched out my hands unto you.
My eyes grow dim with grief. I call to You daily, O LORD; I spread out my hands to You.
10 Will you show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise you? (Selah)
Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?
11 Shall your loving kindness be declared in the grave? or your faithfulness in destruction?
Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Shall your wonders be known in the dark? and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?
13 But unto you have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
But to You, O LORD, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 LORD, why cast you off my soul? why hide you your face from me?
Why, O LORD, do You reject me? Why do You hide Your face from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer your terrors I am distracted.
From my youth I was afflicted and near death. I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.
16 Your fierce wrath goes over me; your terrors have cut me off.
Your wrath has swept over me; Your terrors have destroyed me.
17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
All day long they engulf me like water; they enclose me on every side.
18 Lover and friend have you put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
You have removed my beloved and my friend; darkness is my closest companion.
