- 88O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you. 2Let my prayer come before you. Incline your ear unto my cry, 3for my soul is full of troubles and my life draws near unto the grave. 4I am counted with them that go down into the pit. I am as a man that has no strength, 5free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave whom you remember no more and they are cut off from your hand. 6You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths. 7Your wrath lies hard upon me and you have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah. 8You have put away my acquaintance far from me. You have made me an abomination unto them. I am shut up and I cannot come forth. 9My eye mourns by reason of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon you, I have stretched out my hands unto you.
- 10Will you show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise you? Selah. 11Shall your loving kindness be declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in destruction? 12Shall your wonders be known in the dark? And your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
- 13But unto you I have cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer go before you. 14Lord, why do you cast off my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? 15I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted. 16Your fierce wrath goes over me. Your terrors have cut me off. 17They came round about me daily like water. They encompassed me about together. 18Loved one and friend you have put far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness.
Psalm 88
A song or psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.