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. Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you:
2 Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
Let my prayer come before you: incline your ear to my cry;
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draws near to the grave. (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 them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength:
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 lie in the grave, whom you remember no more: and they are cut off from your hand.
6 You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
Your wrath lies hard on me, and you have afflicted me with all your waves. (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.
You have put away my acquaintance far from me; you have made me an abomination to them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
9 My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you.
My eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily on you, I have stretched out my hands to you.
10 Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
Will you show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise you? (Selah)
11 Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall your loving kindness be declared in the grave? or your faithfulness in destruction?
12 Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall your wonders be known in the dark? and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to you, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
But to you have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent you.
14 Yahweh, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
LORD, why cast you off my soul? why hide you your 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 ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer your terrors I am distracted.
16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
Your fierce wrath goes over me; your terrors have cut me off.
17 They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
Lover and friend have you put far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness.
