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 song, a psalm of the sons of Korah; for the chief musician; set to the Mahalath Leannoth style. A maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. Yahweh, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
Listen to my prayer; pay attention to my cry.
For I am filled with troubles, and my life has reached Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
People treat me like those who go down into the pit; I am a man with 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 abandoned among the dead; I am like the dead who lie in the grave, about whom you care no more because they are cut off from your power.
6 Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
You place me in the lowest part of the pit, in the dark and deep places.
7 Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over 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.
Because of you, my acquaintances avoid me. You have made me a shocking sight to them. I am hemmed in and I cannot escape.
9 My eye languisheth by reason of affliction: I call on thee, O Lord, every day, I stretch out unto thee my hands.
My eyes grow weary from trouble; All day long I call out to you, Yahweh; I spread out my hands to you.
10 Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
12 Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
13 Yet I cry indeed aloud unto thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide thy face from me?
Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 I am afflicted and perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted.
I have always been afflicted and on the verge of death since my youth. I have suffered from your terrors; I am in despair.
16 Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
17 They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
18 Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
