Psalms 88
1 O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you:
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.
2 Let my prayer come before you: incline your ear unto my cry;
Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
My life is full of troubles, and my death is approaching. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength:
I'm counted among the dying; a man with no 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 abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
6 You have laid me in the low pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
7 Your wrath lies hard upon me, and you have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
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 made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
9 Mine eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon you, I have stretched out my hands unto you.
I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
10 Will you show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise you? (Selah)
Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall your loving kindness be declared in the grave? or your faithfulness in destruction?
Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
12 Shall your wonders be known in the dark? and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But unto you have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
14 LORD, why cast you off my soul? why hide you your face from me?
Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer your terrors I am distracted.
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!
16 Your fierce wrath goes over me; your terrors have cut me off.
Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
18 Lover and friend have you put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
