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.
“A psalm of the sons of Korah. For the leader of the music. Upon wind instruments. A psalm of Heman, the Ezrahite.” O LORD, God of my salvation! To thee do I cry by day, And by night is my prayer before thee!
2 Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
Let my supplication come before thee; Incline thine ear to my cry!
For my soul is full of misery, And my life draweth near to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
I am counted with those who are going down to the pit; I am like one who hath no strength.
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.
I am left to myself among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom thou no more rememberest, And who are cut off from thy [[protecting]] hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
Thou hast placed me in a deep pit, In a dark and deep abyss.
7 Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (Selah)
Thy wrath presseth hard upon me, And thou afflictest me with all thy waves! (Pause)
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.
Thou hast put mine acquaintances far from me, Yea, thou hast made me their abhorrence: I am shut up, and 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.
Mine eyes languish by reason of my affliction. I call upon thee daily, O LORD! To thee do I stretch out my hands!
10 Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
Canst thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise, and praise thee? (Pause)
11 Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
Shall thy goodness be declared in the grave, Or thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
12 Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? 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 Yet I cry indeed aloud unto thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
To thee do I cry, O LORD! In the morning doth my cry come before thee.
14 Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide thy face from me?
Why, O LORD! dost thou cast me off? Why hidest thou thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted.
I have been afflicted and languishing from my youth; I suffer thy terrors, and am distracted.
16 Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
Thy fierce wrath overwhelmeth me; Thy terrors utterly destroy me.
17 They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
They surround me daily like water; They compass me about together.
18 Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me; My acquaintances are withdrawn from my sight.
