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 psalm of the sons of Korah. For the leader of the music. Upon wind instruments. A psalm of Heman, the Ezrahite.” O LORD, God of my salvation! To thee do I cry by day, And by night is my prayer before thee!
2 Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.
Let my supplication come before thee; Incline thine ear to my cry!
For my soul is full of misery, And my life draweth near to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength:
I am counted with those who are going down to the pit; I am like one who hath 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 left to myself among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom thou no more rememberest, And who are cut off from thy [[protecting]] hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.
Thou hast placed me in a deep pit, In a dark and deep abyss.
7 Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Thy wrath presseth hard upon me, And thou afflictest me with all thy waves! (Pause)
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.
Thou hast put mine acquaintances far from me, Yea, thou hast made me their abhorrence: I am shut up, and cannot go forth.
9 Mine eye consumeth by reason of affliction. Upon thee, Jehovah, have I called every day; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
Mine eyes languish by reason of my affliction. I call upon thee daily, O LORD! To thee do I stretch out my hands!
10 Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? (Selah)
Canst thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise, and praise thee? (Pause)
11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?
Shall thy goodness be declared in the grave, Or thy faithfulness in the place of corruption?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, And thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.
To thee do I cry, O LORD! In the morning doth my cry come before thee.
14 Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Why, O LORD! dost thou cast me off? Why hidest thou thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, [and] I am distracted.
I have been afflicted and languishing from my youth; I suffer thy terrors, and am distracted.
16 Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:
Thy fierce wrath overwhelmeth me; Thy terrors utterly destroy me.
17 They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.
They surround me daily like water; They compass me about together.
18 Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me; My acquaintances are withdrawn from my sight.
