Psalms 88 — NETB

A song, a psalm written by the Korahites; for the music director; according to the machalath-leannoth style; a well-written song by Heman the Ezrachite.

88Verse 1O Lord God who delivers me!
By day I cry out
and at night I pray before you.
^{Verse 2}Listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to my cry for help!
^{Verse 3}For my life is filled with troubles
and I am ready to enter Sheol.
^{Verse 4}They treat me like those who descend into the grave.
I am like a helpless man,
^{Verse 5}adrift among the dead,
like corpses lying in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
and who are cut off from your power.
^{Verse 6}You place me in the lowest regions of the pit,
in the dark places, in the watery depths.
^{Verse 7}Your anger bears down on me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
^{Verse 8}You cause those who know me to keep their distance;
you make me an appalling sight to them.
I am trapped and cannot get free.
^{Verse 9}My eyes grow weak because of oppression.
I call out to you, O Lord, all day long;
I spread out my hands in prayer to you.
^{Verse 10}Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead?
Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)
^{Verse 11}Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave,
or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?
^{Verse 12}Are your amazing deeds experienced in the dark region,
or your deliverance in the land of oblivion?
^{Verse 13}As for me, I cry out to you, O Lord;
in the morning my prayer confronts you.
^{Verse 14}O Lord, why do you reject me,
and pay no attention to me?
^{Verse 15}I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth.
I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain.
^{Verse 16}Your anger overwhelms me;
your terrors destroy me.
^{Verse 17}They surround me like water all day long;
they join forces and encircle me.
^{Verse 18}You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance;
those who know me leave me alone in the darkness.