Psalms 88
1 A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah; for the chief musician; set to the Mahalath Leannoth style. A maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. Yahweh, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
Listen to my prayer; pay attention to my cry.
For I am filled with troubles, and my life has reached Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
People treat me like those who go down into the pit; I am a man with no strength.
5 Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
I am abandoned among the dead; I am like the dead who lie in the grave, about whom you care no more because they are cut off from your power.
6 They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
You place me in the lowest part of the pit, in the dark and deep places.
7 Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. (Selah)
8 Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
Because of you, my acquaintances avoid me. You have made me a shocking sight to them. I am hemmed in and I cannot escape.
9 My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
My eyes grow weary from trouble; All day long I call out to you, Yahweh; I spread out my hands to you.
10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave, your loyalty in the place of the dead?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
I have always been afflicted and on the verge of death since my youth. I have suffered from your terrors; I am in despair.
16 Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
17 They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
18 Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
