Psalms 88
1 A Canticle Psalm to the sons of Korah. Unto the end. For Mahalath, to answer the understanding of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation: I have cried out, day and night, in your presence.
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.
2 Let my prayer enter in your sight. Incline your ear to my petition.
Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am considered to be among those who will descend into the pit. I have become like a man without assistance,
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
5 idle among the dead. I am like the wounded sleeping in sepulchers, whom you no longer remember, and who have been repelled by your hand.
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.
6 They have lain me in the lower pit: in dark places and in the shadow of death.
You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.
7 Your fury has been confirmed over me. And you have brought all your waves upon me.
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. (Selah)
8 You have sent my acquaintances far from me. They have set me as an abomination to themselves. I was handed over, yet I did not depart.
You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.
9 My eyes languished before destitution. All day long, I cried out to you, O Lord. I stretched out my hands to you.
My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you.
10 Will you perform wonders for the dead? Or will physicians raise to life, and so confess to you?
Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? (Selah)
11 Could anyone declare your mercy in the sepulcher, or your truth from within perdition?
Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion?
Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 And I have cried out to you, O Lord, and in early morning, my prayer will come before you.
But to you, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Lord, why do you reject my prayer? Why do you turn your face away from me?
Yahweh, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 I am poor, and I have been amid hardships from my youth. And, though I have been exalted, I am humbled and disturbed.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your wrath has crossed into me, and your terrors have disturbed me.
Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They have surrounded me like water, all day long. They have surrounded me, all at once.
They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18 Friend and neighbor, and my acquaintances, you have sent far away from me, away from misery.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.
