Psalm 88
New King James Version

A Prayer for Help in Despondency

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath Leannoth.” A^[a]Contemplation of^(A)Heman the Ezrahite.

88 OLord,^(B)God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.
²Let my prayer come before You;
^[b]Incline Your ear to my cry.

³For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life^(C)draws near to the grave.
⁴I am counted with those who^(D)go^[c]down to the pit;
^(E)I am like a manwho hasno strength,
⁵^[d]Adrift among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And who are cut off from Your hand.

⁶You have laid me in the lowest pit,
In darkness, in the depths.
⁷Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
And You have afflictedmewith all^(F)Your waves.Selah
⁸^(G)You have^[e]put away my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an abomination to them;
^(H)I amshut up, and I cannot get out;
⁹My eye wastes away because of affliction.

^(I)Lord, I have called daily upon You;
I have stretched out my hands to You.
¹⁰Will You work wonders for the dead?
Shall^[f]the dead ariseandpraise You?Selah
¹¹Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
OrYour faithfulness in the place of destruction?
¹²Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

¹³But to You I have cried out, OLord,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
¹⁴Lord, why do You cast off my soul?
Whydo You hide Your face from me?
¹⁵Ihave beenafflicted and ready to die frommyyouth;
I suffer Your terrors;
I am distraught.
¹⁶Your fierce wrath has gone over me;
Your terrors have^[g]cut me off.
¹⁷They came around me all day long like water;
They engulfed me altogether.
¹⁸^(J)Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
Andmy acquaintances into darkness.