Psalms 88
A Cry of Desperation
1A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A ▼▼Maskil: From a Hebrew word meaning to be prudent or to have insight; possibly a contemplative, instructive, or wisdom psalm
Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. b Lord, God of my salvation,I cry out before You day and night. c
2 May my prayer reach Your presence;
listen to my cry. d
3 For I have had enough troubles,
and my life is near ▼
▼Sheol: A Hebrew word for either the grave or the realm of the dead
Sheol. f 4 I am counted among those going down to the ▼
▼Pit: Either the grave or the realm of the dead
Pit. hI am like a man without strength i
5 abandoned ▼
▼Or set free
among the dead.I am like the slain lying in the grave k
whom You no longer remember,
and who are cut off from Your care. ▼
▼Or hand
,
m 6 You have put me in the lowest part of the Pit,
in the darkest places, in the depths. n
7 Your wrath weighs heavily on me; o
You have overwhelmed me with all Your waves. p , ▼
▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"
Selah
8 You have distanced my friends from me;
You have made me repulsive to them. r
I am shut in and cannot go out.
9 My eyes are worn out from crying. s
Lord, I cry out to You all day long; t
I spread out my hands to You. u
10 Do You work wonders for the dead?
Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? v , ▼
▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"
Selah
11 Will Your faithful love be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in ▼
▼Abaddon: Either the grave or the realm of the dead
Abaddon? y 12 Will Your wonders be known in the darkness
or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion? z
13 But I call to You for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer meets You. aa
14 Lord, why do You reject me? ab
Why do You hide Your face from me? ac
15 From my youth,
I have been afflicted and near death.
I suffer Your horrors; I am desperate. ad
16 Your wrath sweeps over me;
Your terrors destroy me. ae
17 They surround me like water all day long;
they close in on me from every side. af
18 You have distanced loved one and neighbor from me;
darkness is my only friend. ▼
▼Or from me, my friends. Oh darkness!
,
ah
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