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 psalm of the sons of Korah. For the leader of the music. Upon wind instruments. A psalm of Heman, the Ezrahite.” O LORD, God of my salvation! To thee do I cry by day, And by night is my prayer before thee!
2 Listen to my prayer; pay attention to my cry.
Let my supplication come before thee; Incline thine ear to my cry!
For my soul is full of misery, And my life draweth near to the underworld. (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 who are going down to the pit; I am like one who hath no strength.
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.
I am left to myself among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom thou no more rememberest, And who are cut off from thy [[protecting]] hand.
6 You place me in the lowest part of the pit, in the dark and deep places.
Thou hast placed me in a deep pit, In a dark and deep abyss.
7 Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. (Selah)
Thy wrath presseth hard upon me, And thou afflictest me with all thy waves! (Pause)
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 acquaintances far from me, Yea, thou hast made me their abhorrence: I am shut up, and 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.
Mine eyes languish by reason of my affliction. I call upon thee daily, O LORD! To thee do I stretch out my hands!
10 Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
Canst thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise, and praise thee? (Pause)
11 Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
Shall thy goodness be declared in the grave, Or 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 known in the dark, And thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
To thee do I cry, O LORD! In the morning doth my cry come before thee.
14 Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
Why, O LORD! dost thou cast me off? 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 have been afflicted and languishing from my youth; I suffer thy terrors, and am distracted.
16 Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
Thy fierce wrath overwhelmeth me; Thy terrors utterly destroy me.
17 They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
They surround me daily like water; They compass me about together.
18 You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me; My acquaintances are withdrawn from my sight.
