A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the music director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A [a]Maskil of Heman [b]the Ezrahite.

88 Lord, the (A)God of my salvation,
I have (B)cried out by day and in the night before You.
Let my prayer (C)come before You;
(D)Incline Your ear to my cry!
For my (E)soul has [c]had enough troubles,
And (F)my life has approached [d]Sheol.
I am counted among those who (G)go down to the pit;
I have become like a man (H)without strength,
[e]Abandoned (I)among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are (J)cut off from Your hand.
You have put me in (K)the lowest pit,
In (L)dark places, in the (M)depths.
Your wrath (N)has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with (O)all Your waves. Selah
You have removed (P)my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an [f](Q)object of loathing to them;
I am (R)shut up and cannot go out.
My (S)eye grows dim from misery;
I have (T)called upon You every day, Lord;
I have (U)spread out my [g]hands to You.

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Or will (V)the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah
11 Will Your graciousness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in [h]Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the (W)darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, Lord, have cried out (X)to You for help,
And (Y)in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Lord, why (Z)do You reject my soul?
Why do You (AA)hide Your face from me?
15 I was miserable and (AB)about to die from my youth on;
I suffer (AC)Your terrors; I grow weary.
16 Your (AD)burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have [i](AE)destroyed me.
17 They have (AF)surrounded me (AG)like water all day long;
They have (AH)encircled me altogether.
18 You have removed (AI)lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in a hiding place.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88 Title Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 88 Title 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title
  3. Psalm 88:3 Or been satisfied with
  4. Psalm 88:3 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Psalm 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead
  6. Psalm 88:8 Lit abomination to them
  7. Psalm 88:9 Lit palms
  8. Psalm 88:11 I.e., place of destruction
  9. Psalm 88:16 Or silenced

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