Psalms 88
1 A Song, a psalm of the Korahites. To the leader: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord my God, I cry for help in the day-time, in the night my cry is before you;
O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
2 let my prayer come into your presence, incline your ear to my cry.
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with those who go down to the pit; without strength am I.
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
5 My home is among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom you remember no more cut off as they are from your 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 In the deepest pit you have put me, in shadows deep and dark.
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me, waves of your anger roll over me. (Selah)
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. (Selah)
8 You have put my friends far from me, you have made them shun me. I am shut in, and cannot escape,
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 my eyes are wasted with sorrow. I call on you, Lord, every day, spreading my hands out to you.
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
10 For the dead can you work wonders? Can the shades rise again to praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? (Selah)
11 Can your kindness be told in the grave, your faithfulness in the tomb?
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 Can your wonders be known in the darkness, or your help in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 I cry for help to you, in the morning my prayer comes before you.
But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
14 Why, O Lord, do you spurn me, and hide your face from me?
Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
15 From my youth I am wretched and dying, I am numbed by the terrors I bear.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
16 The fires of your wrath have passed over me, your terrors destroy me,
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
17 surging around me forever, hemming me in altogether.
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
18 Those who love me you put far from me; the dark is my only friend.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
