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:

1.

2. Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

2. O Lord, my God, I call for help by day; before you I cry out by night.

3. For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

3. May my prayer come to you; incline your ear to my cry for help.

4. I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength:

4. My soul is deeply troubled; my life draws near to the grave.

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.

5. I am like those without strength. Counted among those going down into the pit -

6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

6. I lie forsaken among the dead, like those lying in the grave, like those you remember no more, cut off from your care.

7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. Selah.

7. You have plunged me into the darkest depths of the pit.

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.

8. With your wrath heavy upon me, you have battered me with all your waves.

9. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

9. You have taken away my closest friends; you have made me repulsive to them. I cannot escape from my confinement.

10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? Selah.

10. My eyes have grown dim with grief; spreading out my hands to you, I call upon you every day, O Lord.

11. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?

11. Are your wonders meant for the dead? Will ghosts rise to give you thanks?

12. Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

12. Is your love and faithfulness remembered among those gone to the netherworld?

13. But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

13. Are your wonders known in the dark, your salvation in the land of oblivion?

14. LORD, why castest thou off my soul? [why] hidest thou thy face from me?

14. But to you, O Lord, I cry for help; every morning I pray to you.

15. I [am] afflicted and ready to die from [my] youth up: [while] I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

15. O Lord, why do you reject me, why do you hide your face?

16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

16. Afflicted and close to death from youth, I have suffered terrors and helplessness.

17. They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.

17. Your wrath has swept over me; your assaults have destroyed me.

18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, [and] mine acquaintance into darkness.

18. Now they surround me like a flood; and completely engulf me.

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19. Bereft of loved ones and now alone, only darkness is my companion.