Psalms 88
1 A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah, to the Overseer, 'Concerning the Sickness of Afflictions.' — An instruction, by Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before Thee,
A Song. A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. To the chief music-maker; put to Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil. Of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation, I have been crying to you for help by day and by night:
2 My prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry,
Let my prayer come before you; give ear to my cry:
For my soul is full of evils, and my life has come near to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
4 I have been reckoned with those going down [to] the pit, I have been as a man without strength.
I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help:
5 Among the dead — free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off.
My soul is among the dead, like those in the underworld, to whom you give no more thought; for they are cut off from your care.
6 Thou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.
You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places.
7 Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And [with] all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. (Selah)
The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah)
8 Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, Thou hast made me an abomination to them, Shut up — I go not forth.
You have sent my friends far away from me; you have made me a disgusting thing in their eyes: I am shut up, and not able to come out.
9 Mine eye hath grieved because of affliction, I called Thee, O Jehovah, all the day, I have spread out unto Thee my hands.
My eyes are wasting away because of my trouble: Lord, my cry has gone up to you every day, my hands are stretched out to you.
10 To the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? (Selah)
Will you do works of wonder for the dead? will the shades come back to give you praise? (Selah)
11 Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction?
Will the story of your mercy be given in the house of the dead? will news of your faith come to the place of destruction?
12 Are Thy wonders known in the darkness? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
May there be knowledge of your wonders in the dark? or of your righteousness where memory is dead?
13 And I, unto Thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, And in the morning doth my prayer come before Thee.
But to you did I send up my cry, O Lord; in the morning my prayer came before you.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest Thy face from me.
Lord, why have you sent away my soul? why is your face covered from me?
15 I [am] afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Thy terrors — I pine away.
I have been troubled and in fear of death from the time when I was young; your wrath is hard on me, and I have no strength.
16 Over me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off,
The heat of your wrath has gone over me; I am broken by your cruel punishments.
17 They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone round against me together,
They are round me all the day like water; they have made a circle about me.
18 Thou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance [is] the place of darkness!
You have sent my friends and lovers far from me; I am gone from the memory of those who are dear to me.
