Psalms 88
1 A Song [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day [and] night before thee:
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 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
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 am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength:
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
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 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: [I am] shut up, and I cannot come forth.
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 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, [and] mine acquaintance into darkness.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
