Psalms 88
1 A Song, a Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the chief Musician. Upon Mahalath Leannoth. An instruction. Of Heman the Ezrahite. Jehovah, God of my salvation, I have cried by day [and] in the night before thee.
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.
2 Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
My life is full of troubles, and my death is approaching. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength:
I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
5 Prostrate among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand.
I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. (Selah)
8 Thou hast put my familiar friends far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.
9 Mine eye consumeth by reason of affliction. Upon thee, Jehovah, have I called every day; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
10 Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.
But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
15 I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, [and] I am distracted.
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!
16 Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
17 They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
18 Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.
