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. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite. LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer, come into thy presence, Bow down thine ear to my loud cry.
Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with them who descend into the pit, I have become as a man that is without help;
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no 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;
set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
6 Thou hast laid me, In the lowest pit, In dark places, In the deeps:
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Upon me, hath rested thine indignation, And, with all thy breakers, hast thou caused affliction. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
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 taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
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.
My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.
10 For the dead, wilt thou perform a wonder? Or shall, the shades, arising, give thee thanks? (Selah)
Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall Thy lovingkindness be recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness, in destruction?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Shall any wonder of thine, be known in the dark? Or, thy righteousness, in the land of forgetfulness?
Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But, I, unto thee, O Yahweh, have cried for help, And, in the morning, my prayer will confront thee!
But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Wherefore, O Yahweh, shouldst thou reject my soul? shouldst thou hide thy face from me?
LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted have I been, and dying, from youth, I have borne the terror of thee—I shall be distracted!
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 Over me, have passed thy bursts of burning anger, The alarms of thee have put an end to me;
Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They have surrounded me like waters, all the day, They have come circling against me together:
They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18 Thou hast far removed from me, lover and friend, Mine acquaintances, are in darkness.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
