88
A Petition to Be Saved from Death.
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
O Lord, the AGod of my salvation,
I have Bcried out by day and in the night before You.
Let my prayer Acome before You;
BIncline Your ear to my cry!
For my Asoul has 1had enough troubles,
And Bmy life has drawn near to 2Sheol.
I am reckoned among those who Ago down to the pit;
I have become like a man Bwithout strength,
1Forsaken Aamong the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And they are Bcut off from Your hand.
You have put me in Athe lowest pit,
In Bdark places, in the Cdepths.
Your wrath Ahas rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with Ball Your waves. 1
Selah.
You have removed Amy acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an 1Bobject of loathing to them;
I am Cshut up and cannot go out.
My Aeye has wasted away because of affliction;
I have Bcalled upon You every day, O Lord;
I have Cspread out my 1hands to You.
 
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Will Athe 1departed spirits rise and praise You?
Selah.
11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in 1Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the Adarkness?
And Your 1righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
 
13 But I, O Lord, have cried out Ato You for help,
And Bin the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 O Lord, why Ado You reject my soul?
Why do You Bhide Your face from me?
15 I was afflicted and Aabout to die from my youth on;
I suffer BYour terrors; I am 1overcome.
16 Your Aburning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have 1Bdestroyed me.
17 They have Asurrounded me Blike water all day long;
They have Cencompassed me altogether.
18 You have removed Alover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in darkness.
88: Possibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm 88: 1 Kin 4:31; 1 Chr 2:6; Ps 89: title A 88:1 Ps 24:5; 27:9 B 88:1 Ps 22:2; 86:3; Luke 18:7 A 88:2 Ps 18:6 B 88:2 Ps 31:2; 86:1 A 88:3 Ps 107:26 1 88:3 Or been satisfied with B 88:3 Ps 107:18; 116:3 2 88:3 I.e. the nether world A 88:4 Ps 28:1; 143:7 B 88:4 Job 29:12; Ps 22:11 1 88:5 Lit A freed one among the dead A 88:5 Ps 31:12 B 88:5 Ps 31:22; Is 53:8 A 88:6 Ps 86:13; Lam 3:55 B 88:6 Ps 143:3 C 88:6 Ps 69:15 A 88:7 Ps 32:4; 39:10 B 88:7 Ps 42:7 1 88:7 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude A 88:8 Job 19:13, 19; Ps 31:11; 142:4 1 88:8 Lit abomination to them B 88:8 Job 30:10 C 88:8 Ps 142:7; Jer 32:2; 36:5 A 88:9 Ps 6:7; 31:9 B 88:9 Ps 22:2; 86:3 C 88:9 Job 11:13; Ps 143:6 1 88:9 Lit palms A 88:10 Ps 6:5; 30:9 1 88:10 Or ghosts, shades 1 88:11 I.e. place of destruction A 88:12 Job 10:21; Ps 88:6 1 88:12 I.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises A 88:13 Ps 30:2 B 88:13 Ps 5:3; 119:147 A 88:14 Ps 43:2; 44:9 B 88:14 Job 13:24; Ps 13:1; 44:24 A 88:15 Prov 24:11 B 88:15 Job 6:4; 31:23 1 88:15 Or embarrassed A 88:16 2 Chr 28:11; Is 13:13; Lam 1:12 1 88:16 Or silenced B 88:16 Lam 3:54; Ezek 37:11 A 88:17 Ps 118:10-12 B 88:17 Ps 124:4 C 88:17 Ps 17:11; 22:12, 16 A 88:18 Job 19:13; Ps 88:8; 31:11; 38:11