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 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:
2 Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thy ear to my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth near to the grave. (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 them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that 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.
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.
6 Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
7 Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (Selah)
Thy wrath lieth heavy upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. (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.
Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination to them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 My eye languisheth by reason of affliction: I call on thee, O Lord, every day, I stretch out unto thee my hands.
My eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? (Selah)
11 Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
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 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.
But to thee have I cried, 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?
LORD, why castest thou off my soul? 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 am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
16 Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
17 They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
They came around me daily like water; they surrounded me 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, and my acquaintance into darkness.
