< Psalms 88 >
1 “A song or psalm of the sons of Korach, to the chief musician upon Machalath-le'annoth, a Maskil of Heman the Ezrachite.” O Lord the God of my salvation, by day do I cry, [and] at night I am before thee.
2 Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
3 For my soul is sated with troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the nether world. (Sheol )
4 I am counted with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
5 Free among the dead, like the slain that dwell in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more; and those that are cut off by thy hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
7 Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (Selah)
8 Thou hast removed my acquaintances far from me; thou hast rendered me an abomination unto them: I am imprisoned, and I cannot go forth.
9 My eye languisheth by reason of affliction: I call on thee, O Lord, every day, I stretch out unto thee my hands.
10 Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
11 Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
12 Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 Yet I cry indeed aloud unto thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
14 Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted.
16 Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
17 They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
18 Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
