Psalms 88

[A Song {or} Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.] O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day {and} night before thee: {for the sons: or, of the sons} {Maschil...: or, A Psalm of Heman the Ezrahite, giving instruction}

Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man {that hath} no strength:

Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. {from: or, by}

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

Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted {me} with all thy waves. Selah.

Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: {I am} shut up, and I cannot come forth.

Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise {and} praise thee? Selah.

Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? {or} thy faithfulness in destruction?

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

LORD, why castest thou off my soul? {why} hidest thou thy face from me?

I {am} afflicted and ready to die from {my} youth up: {while} I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together. {daily: or, all the day}

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, {and} mine acquaintance into darkness.