Psalms 88
1 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.
A song or Psalme of Heman the Ezrahite to give instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah for him that excelleth upon Malath Leannoth. O Lord God of my saluation, I cry day and night before thee.
2 Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
Let my prayer enter into thy presence: incline thine eare vnto my cry.
For my soule is filled with euils, and my life draweth neere to the graue. (Sheol h7585)
4 I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
I am counted among them that go downe vnto the pit, and am as a man without strength:
5 I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
Free among the dead, like the slaine lying in the graue, whome thou remembrest no more, and they are cut off from thine hand.
6 You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
Thou hast layde me in the lowest pit, in darkenes, and in the deepe.
7 Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
Thine indignation lyeth vpon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy waues. (Selah)
8 You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance farre from me, and made mee to be abhorred of them: I am shut vp, and cannot get foorth.
9 I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
Mine eye is sorowfull through mine affliction: Lord, I call dayly vpon thee: I stretch out mine hands vnto thee.
10 Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
Wilt thou shewe a miracle to the dead? or shall the dead rise and prayse thee? (Selah)
11 Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
Shall thy louing kindenes be declared in the graue? or thy faithfulnes in destruction?
12 Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonderous workes be knowen in the darke? and thy righteousnes in the land of obliuion?
13 But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
But vnto thee haue I cryed, O Lord, and early shall my prayer come before thee.
14 Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
Lord, why doest thou reiect my soule, and hidest thy face from me?
15 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!
I am afflicted and at the point of death: from my youth I suffer thy terrours, doubting of my life.
16 Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
Thine indignations goe ouer me, and thy feare hath cut me off.
17 They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
They came round about me dayly like water, and compassed me together.
18 You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
My louers and friends hast thou put away from me, and mine acquaintance hid themselues.
