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 or psalm of the sons of Korach, to the chief musician upon Machalath-le'annoth, a Maskil of Heman the Ezrachite.” O Lord the God of my salvation, by day do I cry, [and] at night I am before thee.
2 Listen to my prayer; pay attention to my cry.
Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty.
For my soul is sated with troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the nether world. (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 those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
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.
Free among the dead, like the slain that dwell in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more; and those that are cut off by 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 pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. (Selah)
Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (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 removed my acquaintances far from me; thou hast rendered me an abomination unto them: I am imprisoned, and I cannot go forth.
9 My eyes grow weary from trouble; All day long I call out to you, Yahweh; I spread out my hands to you.
My eye languisheth by reason of affliction: I call on thee, O Lord, every day, I stretch out unto thee my hands.
10 Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
11 Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
12 Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Yet I cry indeed aloud unto thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
14 Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide 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 perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
17 They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
18 You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
