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 song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah. For the music director. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth.” A maskil by Heman the Ezrahite Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night.
2 My prayer comes in before You, Incline Your ear to my loud cry,
Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
My life is full of troubles, and my death is approaching. (Sheol h7585)
4 I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without strength.
I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
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.
I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.
You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
7 Your fury has lain on me, And You have afflicted [with] all Your breakers. (Selah)
Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
8 You have put my acquaintance far from me, You have made me an abomination to them, Shut up—I do not go forth.
You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
9 My eye has grieved because of affliction, I called You, O YHWH, all the day, I have spread out my hands to You.
I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
10 Do You do wonders to the dead? Does Rephaim rise? Do they thank You? (Selah)
Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
11 Is Your kindness recounted in the grave? Your faithfulness in destruction?
Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
12 Are Your wonders known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known 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 cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
14 Why, O YHWH, do You cast off my soul? You hide Your face from me.
Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
15 I [am] afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Your terrors—I pine away.
I have been sick since I was young, often at death's door. I have had to bear the terrible things you've done to me. I'm in despair!
16 Your wrath has passed over me, Your terrors have cut me off,
Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
17 They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone around against me together,
They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me, My acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!
You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
