PSALM 88
1A song, a psalm for the Korahites, for the lead player, on the mahalath, to sing out, a maskil for Heman the Ezrahite.
2LORD, God of my rescue,
by night, in Your presence.
3May my prayer come before You.
Incline Your ear to my song.
4For I am sated with evils
and my life reached the brink of Sheol.
5I was counted among those who go down to the Pit.
I became like a man without strength,
6among the dead cast away,
like the slain, those who lie in the grave,
whom You no more recall,
and they are cut off by Your hand.
7You put me in the nethermost Pit,
in darkness, in the depths.
8Your wrath lay hard upon me,
and all Your breakers You inflicted.
selah
9You distanced my friends from me,
you made me disgusting to them;
imprisoned, I cannot get out.
10My eyes ache from affliction.
I called on You, LORD, every day.
I stretched out to You my palms.
11Will You do wonders for the dead?
Will the shades arise and acclaim you?
selah
12Will Your kindness be told in the grave,
Your faithfulness in perdition?
13Will Your wonder be known in the darkness,
Your bounty in the land of oblivion?
14As for me—to You, LORD, I shouted,
and in the morn my prayer would greet You.
15Why, LORD, do You abandon my life,
do You hide Your face from me?
16Lowly am I and near death from my youth
I have borne Your terrors, I am fearful.
17Over me Your rage has passed,
Your horrors destroy me.
18They surround me like water all day long,
they encircle me completely.
19You distanced lover and neighbor from me.