Psalms 88
1 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. LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried 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 Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear 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 I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
I am counted with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor:
5 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.
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 have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. (Selah)
8 You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t 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 are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have 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 Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? (Selah)
11 Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
12 Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to you, LORD, I have cried. 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 LORD, why do you reject my soul? 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 am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
I am afflicted and perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me;
17 They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.
