Psalms 88 — ULB

A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah; for the chief musician; set to the Mahalath Leannoth style. A maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.

88Verse 1Yahweh, God of my salvation,
I cry out day and night before you.
^{Verse 2}Listen to my prayer;
pay attention to my cry.
^{Verse 3}For I am filled with troubles,
and my life has reached Sheol.
^{Verse 4}People treat me like those who go down into the pit;
I am a man with no strength.
^{Verse 5}I am abandoned among the dead;
I am like the dead who lie in the grave,
about whom you care no more
because they are cut off from your power.
^{Verse 6}You place me in the lowest part of the pit,
in the dark and deep places.
^{Verse 7}Your wrath lies heavy on me,
and all your waves crash over me. Selah
^{Verse 8}Because of you, my acquaintances avoid me.
You have made me a shocking sight to them.
I am hemmed in and I cannot escape.
^{Verse 9}My eyes grow weary from trouble;
All day long I call out to you, Yahweh;
I spread out my hands to you.
^{Verse 10}Will you do wonders for the dead?
Will those who have died rise and praise you? Selah
^{Verse 11}Will your covenant faithfulness be proclaimed in the grave,
your loyalty in the place of the dead?
^{Verse 12}Will your wonderful deeds be known in the darkness,
or your righteousness in the place of forgetfulness?
^{Verse 13}But I cry to you, Yahweh;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
^{Verse 14}Yahweh, why do you reject me?
Why do you hide your face from me?
^{Verse 15}I have always been afflicted and on the verge of death since my youth.
I have suffered from your terrors; I am in despair.
^{Verse 16}Your angry actions have passed over me,
and your terrifying deeds have annihilated me.
^{Verse 17}They surround me like water all the day long;
they have all encircled me.
^{Verse 18}You have removed every friend and acquaintance from me.
My only acquaintance is the darkness.