Psalms 88

1O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.

1Lord, the God who saves me, I have cried out to you day and night.

2Let my prayer enter into thy presence; Incline thine ear unto my cry.

2Please let my prayer reach you; listen closely to my cry for help.

3For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draweth nigh unto Sheol.

3My soul is full of troubles, and my life is sliding toward the grave.

4I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no help,

4I am counted among those who are dying; I am like a man with no strength left.

5Cast off among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, Whom thou rememberest no more, And they are cut off from thy hand.

5I am abandoned among the dead, like those killed in battle lying in their graves—people you don’t remember anymore, who are cut off from your care.

6Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in the deeps.

6You have put me in the deepest pit, in the darkest places and the deep waters.

7Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. [Selah

7Your anger weighs heavily on me, and you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.

8Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

8You have taken my friends away from me and made me disgusting to them; I am trapped and cannot escape.

9Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction: I have called daily upon thee, O Jehovah; I have spread forth my hands unto thee.

9My eyes are weak from crying; Lord, I have called to you every day and reached out my hands to you.

10Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? Shall they that are deceased arise and praise thee? [Selah

10Do you perform miracles for the dead? Do the spirits of the deceased rise up to praise you?

11Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction?

11Is your faithful love talked about in the grave? Is your constant loyalty mentioned in the place of destruction?

12Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

12Are your wonders known in the darkness? Is your goodness remembered in the land of forgetfulness?

13But unto thee, O Jehovah, have I cried; And in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.

13But I cry out to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes to you.

14Jehovah, why castest thou off my soul? Why hidest thou thy face from me?

14Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?

15I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

15Ever since I was young, I have suffered and been close to death; I am helpless under the weight of your terrors.

16Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.

16Your fierce anger has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.

17They came round about me like water all the day long; They compassed me about together.

17They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me from every side.

18Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness.

18You have taken my loved ones and friends away from me; now darkness is my only companion.