Psalms 88
1 A Song, a Melody. For the Sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. On "Mahalath." For alternate Song. An Instructive Psalm. By Heman the Ezrahite. O Yahweh, God of my salvation, By day, have I made outcry, In the night, [also] before thee.
A song of a Psalm for the sons of Core for the end, upon Maeleth for responsive [strains], of instruction for Aeman the Israelite. O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried by day and in the night before you.
2 Let my prayer, come into thy presence, Bow down thine ear to my loud cry.
Let my prayer come in before you; incline your ear to my supplication, O Lord.
For my soul is filled with troubles, and my life has drawn near to Hades. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with them who descend into the pit, I have become as a man that is without help;
I have been reckoned with them that go down to the pit; I became as a man without help;
5 Among the dead, is my couch, —Like the slain that lie in the grave, Where thou rememberest them no more, Yea, they, from thy hand, are cut off;
free among the dead, as the slain ones cast out, who sleep in the tomb; whom you remember no more; and they are rejected from your hand.
6 Thou hast laid me, In the lowest pit, In dark places, In the deeps:
They laid me in the lowest pit, in dark [places], and in the shadow of death.
7 Upon me, hath rested thine indignation, And, with all thy breakers, hast thou caused affliction. (Selah)
Your wrath has pressed heavily upon me, and you have brought upon me all your billows. (Pause)
8 Thou hast far removed mine acquaintances from me, —Thou hast made me an abomination unto them, Shut up, and I cannot go forth!
You have removed my acquaintance far from me; they have made me an abomination to themselves; I have been delivered up, and have not gone forth.
9 Mine eye, hath dimmed through affliction; I have called upon thee, O Yahweh, all day long, I have spread out, unto thee, my hands.
Mine eyes are dimmed from poverty; but I cried to you, O Lord, all the day; I spread forth my hands to you.
10 For the dead, wilt thou perform a wonder? Or shall, the shades, arising, give thee thanks? (Selah)
Will you work wonders for the dead? or shall physicians raise [them] up, that they shall praise you?
11 Shall Thy lovingkindness be recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness, in destruction?
Shall any one declare your mercy in the tomb? and your truth in destruction?
12 Shall any wonder of thine, be known in the dark? Or, thy righteousness, in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall your wonders be known in darkness? and your righteousness in a forgotten land?
13 But, I, unto thee, O Yahweh, have cried for help, And, in the morning, my prayer will confront thee!
But I cried to you, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
14 Wherefore, O Yahweh, shouldst thou reject my soul? shouldst thou hide thy face from me?
Therefore, O Lord, do you reject my prayer, [and] turn your face away from me?
15 Afflicted have I been, and dying, from youth, I have borne the terror of thee—I shall be distracted!
I am poor and in troubles from my youth; and having been exalted, I was brought low and into despair.
16 Over me, have passed thy bursts of burning anger, The alarms of thee have put an end to me;
Your wrath has passed over me; and your terrors have greatly disquieted me.
17 They have surrounded me like waters, all the day, They have come circling against me together:
They compassed me like water; all the day they beset me together.
18 Thou hast far removed from me, lover and friend, Mine acquaintances, are in darkness.
You have put far from me [every] friend, and mine acquaintances because of [my] wretchedness.
