Psalms 88

A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A ▼

▼Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm

Maskil of Heman ▼

▼1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89:title

the Ezrahite.

1 Lord, the ^cGod of my salvation,
I have ^dcried out by day and in the night before You.
2 Let my prayer ^ecome before You;
^fIncline Your ear to my cry!
3 For my ^gsoul has ▼

▼Or been satisfied with

had enough troubles,
And ⁱmy life has approached ▼

▼I.e., the netherworld

Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who ^kgo down to the pit;
I have become like a man ^lwithout strength,
5 ▼

▼Lit A freed one among the dead

Abandoned ⁿamong the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are ^ocut off from Your hand.
6 You have put me in ^pthe lowest pit,
In ^qdark places, in the ^rdepths.
7 Your wrath ^shas rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with ^tall Your waves. Selah
8 You have removed ^umy acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an ▼

▼Lit abomination to them

, ^wobject of loathing to them;
I am ^xshut up and cannot go out.
9 My ^yeye grows dim from misery;
I have ^zcalled upon You every day, Lord;
I have ^aaspread out my ▼

▼Lit palms

hands to You.

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Or will ^acthe departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah
11 Will Your graciousness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in ▼

▼I.e., place of destruction

Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the ^aedarkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, Lord, have cried out ^afto You for help,
And ^agin the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why ^ahdo You reject my soul?
Why do You ^aihide Your face from me?
15 I was miserable and ^ajabout to die from my youth on;
I suffer ^akYour terrors; I grow weary.
16 Your ^alburning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have ▼

▼Or silenced

, ^andestroyed me.
17 They have ^aosurrounded me ^aplike water all day long;
They have ^aqencircled me altogether.
18 You have removed ^arlover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in a hiding place.