PSALM 88

A Song of a Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician, upon Machalath, to make humble. An instruction of Heman the Ezrahite

1 O Jehovah! God of my salvation! By day I cry, by night before thee.

2 Come into thy presence let my prayer; Incline thy ear to my cry;

3 For filled with troubles is my soul; And my life to hell ³⁵⁴³⁵⁴     “To the grave.” — Fr. hath drawn near.

4 I am counted with those who go down to the sepulcher, ³⁵⁵³⁵⁵     “To the pit.” — Fr. I have been as a man who hath no strength:

5 Free among the dead, As the slain lying in the grave, Whom thou rememberest no more, And who from thy hand are cut off.

6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, In thick darkness, in the deeps.

7 Upon me lieth heavy thy indignation; And with all thy waves thou hast afflicted me. Selah.

8 Thou hast removed my acquaintances from me: Thou hast made me abominations to them: I am shut up that I cannot go forth.

9 My eye mourneth because of my affliction; I invoke thee, O Jehovah! daily: I stretch out to thee my hands.

10 Wilt thou for the dead do a miracle? Shall the dead rising up praise thee? Selah.

11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? Thy truth in destruction?

12 Shall thy wonders be known in darkness? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But as for me to thee, O Jehovah! have I cried, And in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.

14 Wherefore, O Jehovah! wilt thou reject my soul? [Wherefore] wilt thou hide thy face from me?

15 Afflicted am I, and ready to die from my youth; I have suffered thy terrors by doubting.

16 Passed over me hath thy fierce wrath: Thy terrors have cut me off.

17 They have encompassed me as waters daily; They have surrounded me together.

18 Thou hast removed from me lover and companion; And my acquaintances are darkness.