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 by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite. Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
2 Listen to my prayer; pay attention to my 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 People treat me like those who go down into the pit; I am a man with no strength.
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has 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 who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
6 You place me in the lowest part of the pit, in the dark and deep places.
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (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.
You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
9 My eyes grow weary from trouble; All day long I call out to you, Yahweh; I spread out my hands to you.
My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you.
10 Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
11 Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
But to you, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
Yahweh, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your 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 ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18 You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
