Psalms 88
1 A SONG. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. TO THE OVERSEER. [SET] ON “SICKNESS TO AFFLICT.” AN INSTRUCTION OF HEMAN THE EZRAHITE. O YHWH, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before You,
A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
2 My prayer comes in before You, Incline Your ear to my loud cry,
Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell. (Sheol h7585)
4 I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without strength.
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
5 Among the dead—free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom You have not remembered anymore, Indeed, they have been cut off by Your hand.
Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Your fury has lain on me, And You have afflicted [with] all Your breakers. (Selah)
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
8 You have put my acquaintance far from me, You have made me an abomination to them, Shut up—I do not go forth.
Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
9 My eye has grieved because of affliction, I called You, O YHWH, all the day, I have spread out my hands to You.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Do You do wonders to the dead? Does Rephaim rise? Do they thank You? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Is Your kindness recounted in the grave? Your faithfulness in destruction?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Are Your wonders known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 And I, to You, O YHWH, I have cried, And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 Why, O YHWH, do You cast off my soul? You hide Your face from me.
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 I [am] afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Your terrors—I pine away.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Your wrath has passed over me, Your terrors have cut me off,
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone around against me together,
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me, My acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
