THE *BOOK OF
PSALMS.
Psalm 88 ©
A prayer of the prophet, representing the temptations and manifold troubles which he suffered; teaching all believers how to turn to God in adversity and to wait for comfort from Him.
A12Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon 3Mahalath Leannoth, 4Maschil of 5Heman the Ezrahite.
O LORD 6God of my salvation, I have cried 7day and night before thee:
Let my prayer come 8before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
For my soul is full 9of troubles: and 10my life draweth nigh unto the 11grave.
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
12Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou 13rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
Thou hast laid me 14in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
Thy wrath 15lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me 16with all thy waves. Selah.
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me 17an abomination unto them: 18I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called 19daily upon thee, I have stretched out 20my hands unto thee.
21Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead 22arise and praise thee? Selah.
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness 23in destruction?
24Shall thy wonders be known 25in the dark? and thy righteousness in 26the land of forgetfulness?
But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
LORD, why 27castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
I am afflicted and 28ready to die from my 29youth up: while I suffer 30thy terrors 31I am distracted.
32Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; 33thy terrors 34have cut me off.
They came 35round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance 36into darkness.