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Psalm 88

For the Music Director. A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the melody of “Suffering of Affliction.” A Contemplative Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

O Lord, God of my salvation,
    I cry out day and night before You.
Let my prayer come before You;
    incline Your ear to my cry.

For my soul is full of troubles,
    and my life draws near to Sheol.
I am counted with those who go down to the grave;
    I am a man who has no strength,
like one who is set free among the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
like those whom You remember no more,
    for they are cut off from Your hand.

You have laid me in the depths of the pit,
    in dark and deep regions.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
    and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah
You have caused my companions to be far from me;
    You have made me an abomination to them;
I am shut up, and I cannot escape;
    my eye is dim from my affliction.

Lord, I call daily upon You,
    and I have stretched out my hands to You.
10 Will You show wonders to the dead?
    Shall the dead rise up to praise You? Selah
11 Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,
    or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Shall Your wonders be known in the darkness
    or Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But unto You have I cried, O Lord,
    and in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 O Lord, why do You cast away my soul?
    Why do You hide Your face from me?

15 I am afflicted and close to death since my youth;
    while I suffer Your terrors I am helpless.
16 Your fierce wrath sweeps over me;
    Your terrors destroy me.
17 They come around me daily like a flood;
    they encircle me together.
18 You have caused to be far from me my lovers and friends,
    and my companion is darkness.

Psalm 88[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
    day and night I cry out(B) to you.
May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
    and my life draws near to death.(D)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
    I am like one without strength.(F)
I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off(G) from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.(H)
Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)
You have taken from me my closest friends(K)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(L) and cannot escape;(M)
    my eyes(N) are dim with grief.

I call(O) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands(P) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(Q)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness(R) in Destruction[e]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 But I cry to you for help,(S) Lord;
    in the morning(T) my prayer comes before you.(U)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(V) me
    and hide your face(W) from me?

15 From my youth(X) I have suffered(Y) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors(Z) and am in despair.(AA)
16 Your wrath(AB) has swept over me;
    your terrors(AC) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AD)
    they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AE) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  3. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  5. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon