Psalms 88
1 A Song [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day [and] 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 before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
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 with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength:
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 that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut 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 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
You place me in the lowest part of the pit, in the dark and deep places.
7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. (Selah)
Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. (Selah)
8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: [I am] shut up, and I cannot come 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 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto 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? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? (Selah)
Will you do wonders for the dead? Will those who have died rise and praise you? (Selah)
11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness 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 righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
But I cry to you, Yahweh; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?
Yahweh, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
15 I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
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 fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
Your angry actions have passed over me, and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
They surround me like water all the day long; they have all encircled me.
18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, [and] mine acquaintance into darkness.
You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me. My only acquaintance is the darkness.
