A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [a]Maskil of Heman [b]the Ezrahite.
88 O Lord, the God of my salvation, I have cried out by day and in the night before You. 2 Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry! 3 For my soul has [c]had enough troubles, And my life has drawn near to [d]Sheol. 4 I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit; I have become like a man without strength, 5 [e]Forsaken among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And they are cut off from Your hand. 6 You have put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in the depths. 7 Your wrath has rested upon me, And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. [f]Selah. 8 You have removed my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an [g]object of loathing to them; I am shut up and cannot go out. 9 My eye has wasted away because of affliction; I have called upon You every day, O Lord; I have spread out my [h]hands to You.
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead? Will the [i]departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah. 11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in [j]Abaddon? 12 Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? And Your [k]righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O Lord, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You. 14 O Lord, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? 15 I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on; I suffer Your terrors; I am [l]overcome. 16 Your burning anger has passed over me; Your terrors have [m]destroyed me. 17 They have surrounded me like water all day long; They have encompassed me altogether. 18 You have removed lover and friend far from me; My acquaintances are in darkness.
Footnotes:
Psalm 88:1 Possibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm
