Psalms 88
1 A Song [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day [and] night before thee:
A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah. For the music director. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth.” A maskil by Heman the Ezrahite Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night.
2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thy ear to my cry;
Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
My life is full of troubles, and my death is approaching. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength:
I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
8 Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination to them: [I am] shut up, and I cannot come forth.
You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
9 My eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands to thee.
I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? (Selah)
Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?
Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
15 I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
I have been sick since I was young, often at death's door. I have had to bear the terrible things you've done to me. I'm in despair!
16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
17 They came around me daily like water; they encompassed me together.
They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, [and] my acquaintance into darkness.
You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
