Psalm 88 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

I Cry Out Day and Night Before You

1 A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil^[1] of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6; Ps 22:2; Ps 24:5; Ps 42:1; Ps 53:1; Lu 18:7)

1Ki 4:311Ch 2:6Ps 22:2Ps 24:5Ps 42:1Ps 53:1Lu 18:7

2 Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! (Ps 31:2) 3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. (Ps 16:10; Ps 107:18) 4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, (Ps 28:1) 5 like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. (Ps 31:12; Isa 53:8) 6 You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. (Ps 63:9; Ps 69:15; Ps 88:12; Ps 88:18; Ps 143:3; La 3:6)

Ps 63:9Ps 69:15Ps 88:12Ps 88:18Ps 143:3La 3:6

7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Ps 32:4; Ps 42:7) 8 You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror^[2] to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; (Job 19:13; Job 30:10; Ps 88:18; Ps 142:4; Jer 32:2)

Job 19:13Job 30:10Ps 88:18Ps 142:4Jer 32:2

9 my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. (Job 11:13; Ps 6:7) 10 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? (Ps 6:5) 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? (Job 10:21; Ps 88:6; Ps 89:5; Ec 9:5)

Job 10:21Ps 88:6Ps 89:5Ec 9:5

13 But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. (Ps 5:3; Ps 30:2) 14 O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? (Job 13:24; Ps 44:9) 15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.^[3] 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. (Job 6:4; Job 9:34) 17 They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. (Ps 18:4; Ps 22:16; Ps 86:3; Ps 118:10)

Ps 18:4Ps 22:16Ps 86:3Ps 118:10

18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.^[4] (Job 19:13)

New International Version

from Biblica

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 Lord, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you.^[1] 2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. 3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. 4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. 5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. 6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. 7 Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.^[3] 8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; 9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do their spirits rise up and praise you? 11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction^[4]? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? 13 But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me? 15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death; I have borne your terrors and am in despair. 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me. 17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me. 18 You have taken from me friend and neighbour – darkness is my closest friend.

King James Version

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

New International Reader’s Version

from Biblica

For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 LORD, you are the God who saves me. Day and night I cry out to you. 2 Please hear my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help. 3 I have so many troubles I’m about to die. 4 People think my life is over. I’m like someone who doesn’t have any strength. 5 People treat me as if I were dead. I’m like those who have been killed and are now in the grave. You don’t even remember them anymore. They are cut off from your care. 6 It’s as if you have put me deep down in the grave. It’s as if you have put me in that deep, dark place. 7 Your great anger lies heavy on me. All the waves of your anger have crashed over me. 8 You have taken my closest friends away from me. You have made me sickening to them. I feel trapped and can’t escape. 9 I’m crying so much I can’t see very well. LORD, I call out to you every day. I lift up my hands to you in prayer. 10 Do you do wonderful things for those who are dead? Do their spirits rise up and praise you? 11 Do those who are dead speak about your love? Do those who are in the grave tell how faithful you are? 12 Are your wonderful deeds known in that dark place? Are your holy acts known in that land where the dead are forgotten? 13 LORD, I cry out to you for help. In the morning I pray to you. 14 LORD, why do you say no to me? Why do you turn your face away from me? 15 I’ve been in pain ever since I was young. I’ve been close to death. You have made me suffer terrible things. I have lost all hope. 16 Your great anger has swept over me. Your terrors have destroyed me. 17 All day long they surround me like a flood. They have closed in all around me. 18 You have taken my friends and neighbours away from me. Darkness is my closest friend.