Psalm 88

Psalm 88

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil 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 wrathⁱ lies heavily on me;

you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.^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 eyesⁿ are dim with grief.

I call^o to you, Lord, every day;

I spread out my hands^p to you.

Do you show your wonders to the dead?

Do their spirits rise up and praise you?^q

Is your love declared in the grave,

your faithfulness^r in Destruction?

Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,

or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

But I cry to you for help,^s Lord;

in the morning^t my prayer comes before you.^u

Why, Lord, do you reject^v me

and hide your face^w from me?

From my youth^x I have suffered^y and been close to death;

I have borne your terrors^z and am in despair.^a

Your wrath^b has swept over me;

your terrors^c have destroyed me.

All day long they surround me like a flood;^d

they have completely engulfed me.

You have taken from me friend^e and neighbor—

darkness is my closest friend.