Psa 88 | HCSB | STEP | A song . A psalm of the sons of Korah . For the choir director : according to Mahalath Leannoth . A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite . Lord , God of my salvation , I cry out before You day and night .

Psalms 88

A Cry of Desperation

1 A 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. ^h
I 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