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The Holy Bible
The Book of Psalms
Psalm 88

  

The Despair of an Afflicted Man

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. Set to the tune of ‘Mahalath Leannoth’. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1Lord, God of my salvation,
I cry out before You day and night.

2 Let my prayer come before You;
turn Your ear to my cry.   3 For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol. 4 I am counted among those who down to the Pit;
I am like a man who has no strength, 5 abandoned among the dead,
like the slain lying in the grave, whom You remember no more,
and who are cut off from Your hand.   6 You have laid me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest places, in the depths. 7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me;
You overwhelmed me with all Your waves.  Selah 8 You have taken my friends from me;
You have made me abhorrent to them; I am shut in and cannot escape;
9my eyes grow dim with grief.   O Lord, I call out to You every day;
I spread out my hands to You. 10 Do You work wonders for the dead?
Will the dead arise and praise You?  Selah 11 Will Your great love be declared in the grave,
or Your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are Your wonders known in the darkness,
or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?   13 But to You I cry for help, O Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before You. 14 O Lord, why do You reject me?
Why do You hide Your face from me?   15 From my youth I have been afflicted and near death;
I have suffered Your terrors and I am despairing. 16 Your wrath sweeps over me;
Your terrors destroy me. 17 They surround me like a flood all day long;
they engulf me completely. 18 Lover and friend You have put far from me,
my only companion is the darkness.