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A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite.

88 Yahweh, the God of my salvation,
    I have cried day and night before you.
Let my prayer enter into your presence.
    Turn your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles.
    My life draws near to Sheol.[a]
I am counted among those who go down into the pit.
    I am like a man who has no help,
    set apart among the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
    whom you remember no more.
    They are cut off from your hand.
You have laid me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me.
    You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.
You have taken my friends from me.
    You have made me an abomination to them.
    I am confined, and I can’t escape.
My eyes are dim from grief.
    I have called on you daily, Yahweh.
    I have spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show wonders to the dead?
    Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.
11 Is your loving kindness declared in the grave?
    Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders made known in the dark?
    Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But to you, Yahweh, I have cried.
    In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14 Yahweh, why do you reject my soul?
    Why do you hide your face from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.
    While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me.
    Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They came around me like water all day long.
    They completely engulfed me.
18 You have put lover and friend far from me,
    and my friends into darkness.

Footnotes

  1. 88:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.

A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [a]Maskil of Heman [b]the Ezrahite.

88 Lord, the (A)God of my salvation,
I have (B)cried out by day and in the night before You.
Let my prayer (C)come before You;
(D)Incline Your ear to my cry!
For my (E)soul has [c]had enough troubles,
And (F)my life has approached [d]Sheol.
I am counted among those who (G)go down to the pit;
I have become like a man (H)without strength,
[e]Abandoned (I)among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are (J)cut off from Your hand.
You have put me in (K)the lowest pit,
In (L)dark places, in the (M)depths.
Your wrath (N)has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with (O)all Your waves. Selah
You have removed (P)my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an [f](Q)object of loathing to them;
I am (R)shut up and cannot go out.
My (S)eye grows dim from misery;
I have (T)called upon You every day, Lord;
I have (U)spread out my [g]hands to You.

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Or will (V)the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah
11 Will Your graciousness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in [h]Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the (W)darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, Lord, have cried out (X)to You for help,
And (Y)in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why (Z)do You reject my soul?
Why do You (AA)hide Your face from me?
15 I was miserable and (AB)about to die from my youth on;
I suffer (AC)Your terrors; I grow weary.
16 Your (AD)burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have [i](AE)destroyed me.
17 They have (AF)surrounded me (AG)like water all day long;
They have (AH)encircled me altogether.
18 You have removed (AI)lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in a hiding place.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 88 Title 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title
  3. Psalm 88:3 Or been satisfied with
  4. Psalm 88:3 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Psalm 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead
  6. Psalm 88:8 Lit abomination to them
  7. Psalm 88:9 Lit palms
  8. Psalm 88:11 I.e., place of destruction
  9. Psalm 88:16 Or silenced