< 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, by sons of Korah, to the Overseer, 'Concerning the Sickness of Afflictions.' — An instruction, by Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before Thee,
2 Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
My prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry,
3 For my soul is sated with troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the nether world. (Sheol )
For my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol. (Sheol )
4 I am counted with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without 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.
Among the dead — free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off.
6 Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
Thou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.
7 Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (Selah)
Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And [with] all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. (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 mine acquaintance far from me, Thou hast made me an abomination to them, Shut up — I go not 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 eye hath grieved because of affliction, I called Thee, O Jehovah, all the day, I have spread out unto Thee my hands.
10 Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
To the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? (Selah)
11 Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are Thy wonders known 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.
And I, unto Thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, And in the morning doth my prayer come before Thee.
14 Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide thy face from me?
Why, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest 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 expiring from youth, I have borne Thy terrors — I pine away.
16 Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
Over me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off,
17 They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone round against me together,
18 Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
Thou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!