Psalms 88
1 A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah; for the chief musician; set to the Mahalath Leannoth style. A maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. Yahweh, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you.
A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, God of my salvation, what time I cry in the night before Thee,
2 Listen to my prayer; pay attention to my cry.
Let my prayer come before Thee, incline Thine ear unto my cry.
For my soul is sated with troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
4 People treat me like those who go down into the pit; I am a man with no strength.
I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am become as a man that hath no help;
5 I am abandoned among the dead; I am like the dead who lie in the grave, about whom you care no more because they are cut off from your power.
Set apart 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 You place me in the lowest part of the pit, in the dark and deep places.
Thou hast laid me in the nethermost pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
7 Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. (Selah)
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and all Thy waves Thou pressest down. (Selah)
8 Because of you, my acquaintances avoid me. You have made me a shocking sight to them. I am hemmed in and I cannot escape.
Thou hast put 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 grow weary from trouble; All day long I call out to you, Yahweh; I spread out my hands to you.
Mine eye languisheth by reason of affliction; I have called upon Thee, O LORD, every day, I have spread forth my hands unto Thee.
10 Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
Wilt Thou work wonders for the dead? Or shall the shades arise and give Thee thanks? (Selah)
11 Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
Shall Thy mercy be declared in the grave? or Thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark? and Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
But as for me, unto Thee, O LORD, do I cry, and in the morning doth my prayer come to meet Thee.
14 Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
LORD, why castest Thou off my soul? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me?
15 I have always been afflicted and on the verge of death since my youth. I have suffered from your terrors; I am in despair.
I am afflicted and at the point of death from my youth up; I have borne Thy terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.
17 They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
They came round about me like water all the day; they compassed me about together.
18 You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
Friend and companion hast Thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
