Psalm 88a

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.b A maskilc of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;z

day and night I cry outa to you.

2 May my prayer come before you;

turn your ear to my cry.

3 I am overwhelmed with troublesb

and my life draws near to death.c

4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;d

I am like one without strength.e

5 I am set apart with the dead,

like the slain who lie in the grave,

whom you remember no more,

who are cut offf from your care.

6 You have put me in the lowest pit,

in the darkest depths.g

7 Your wrathh lies heavily on me;

you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.d i

8 You have taken from me my closest friendsj

and have made me repulsive to them.

I am confinedk and cannot escape;l

9 my eyesm are dim with grief.

I calln to you, Lord, every day;

I spread out my handso to you.

10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?

Do their spirits rise up and praise you?p

11 Is your love declared in the grave,

your faithfulnessq in Destructione?

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,r Lord;

in the mornings my prayer comes before you.t

14 Why, Lord, do you rejectu me

and hide your facev from me?

15 From my youthw I have sufferedx and been close to death;

I have borne your terrorsy and am in despair.z

16 Your wratha has swept over me;

your terrorsb have destroyed me.

17 All day long they surround me like a flood;c

they have completely engulfed me.

18 You have taken from me friendd and neighbor—

darkness is my closest friend.