Psalms

The third book of Psalms, song 88, New English Translation and King James Version

Psalm 88

New English Translation

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.

   1 O LORD God who delivers me! By day I cry out and at night I pray before you.
   2 Listen to my prayer! Pay attention to my cry for help!
   3 For my life is filled with troubles and I am ready to enter Sheol.
   4 They treat me like those who descend into the grave. I am like a helpless man,
   5 adrift among the dead, like corpses lying in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from your power.
   6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, in the dark places, in the watery depths.
   7 Your anger bears down on me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
   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.
   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.
   10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)
   11 Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?
   12 Are your amazing deeds experienced in the dark region, or your deliverance in the land of oblivion?
   13 As for me, I cry out to you, O LORD; in the morning my prayer confronts you.
   14 O LORD, why do you reject me, and pay no attention to me?
   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.
   16 Your anger overwhelms me; your terrors destroy me.
   17 They surround me like water all day long; they join forces and encircle me.
   18 You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance; those who know me leave me alone in the darkness.

King James Version

A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.

   1 O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
   2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
   3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
   4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
   5 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.
   6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
   7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
   8 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.
   9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
   10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
   11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
   12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
   13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
   14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
   15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
   16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
   17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
   18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.