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Psalm 88
1599 Geneva Bible
Psalm 88
1599 Geneva Bible
88 1 A grievous complaint of the faithful, sore afflicted by sickness, persecutions and adversity, 7 Being as it were left of God without any consolation. 13 Yet he calleth on God by faith, and striveth against desperation. 18 Complaining himself to be forsaken of all earthly help.
A song or Psalm of (A)Heman the Ezrahite to give instruction, committed to the sons of Korah for him that excelleth upon Mahalath [a]Leannoth.
1 O Lord God of my salvation, I cry day and night [b]before thee.
2 Let my prayer enter into thy presence: incline thine ear unto my cry.
3 For my soul is filled with evils, and my life draweth near to the grave.
4 I am counted among them that go down unto the pit, and am as a man without strength,
5 [c]Free among the dead, like the slain laying in the grave, when thou rememberest no more, and they are cut off from thy [d]hand.
6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, and in the deep.
7 Thine indignation lieth upon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy [e]waves. Selah.
8 Thou hast put away mine [f]acquaintance far from me, and made me to be abhorred of them: [g]I am shut up, and cannot get forth.
9 [h]Mine eye is sorrowful through mine affliction: Lord, I call daily upon thee: I stretch out mine hands unto thee.
10 Wilt thou show [i]a miracle to the dead? or shall the dead rise and praise thee? Selah.
11 Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land [j]of oblivion?
13 But unto thee, have I cried, O Lord, and early shall my prayer come before thee.
14 Lord, why dost thou reject my soul, and hidest thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and at the point of death: [k]from my youth I suffer thy terrors, doubting of my life.
16 Thine indignations go over me, and thy fear hath cut me off.
17 They came round about me daily like water, and compassed me together.
18 My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me, and mine acquaintance [l]hid themselves.
Footnotes
- Psalm 88:1 That is, to humble. It was the beginning of a song, by the tune whereof this Psalm was sung.
- Psalm 88:1 Though many cry in their sorrows, yet they cry not earnestly to God for remedy, as he did whom he confessed to be the author of his salvation.
- Psalm 88:5 For he that is dead, is free from all cares and business of this life: and thus he saith, because he was unprofitable for all matters concerning man’s life, and as it were cut off from this world.
- Psalm 88:5 That is, from thy providence and care, which is meant according to the judgment of the flesh.
- Psalm 88:7 The storms of thy wrath have overwhelmed me.
- Psalm 88:8 He attributeth the loss and displeasure of his friends to God’s providence, whereby he partly punisheth and partly trieth his.
- Psalm 88:8 I see none end of my sorrows.
- Psalm 88:9 Mine eyes and face declare my sorrows.
- Psalm 88:10 He showeth that the time is more convenient for God to help, when men call unto him in their dangers, than to tarry till they be dead, and then raise them up again.
- Psalm 88:12 That is, in the grave, where only the body lieth without all sense and remembrance.
- Psalm 88:15 I am ever in great dangers and sorrows, as though my life should utterly be cut off every moment.
- Psalm 88:18 Hebrew, were in darkness.
Psalm 88
New International Version
Psalm 88
New International Version
Psalm 88[a]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
day and night I cry out(B) to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
and my life draws near to death.(D)
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
I am like one without strength.(F)
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(G) from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.(H)
7 Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)
8 You have taken from me my closest friends(K)
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(L) and cannot escape;(M)
9 my eyes(N) are dim with grief.
I call(O) to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands(P) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(Q)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness(R) in Destruction[e]?
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,(S) Lord;
in the morning(T) my prayer comes before you.(U)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(V) me
and hide your face(W) from me?
15 From my youth(X) I have suffered(Y) and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors(Z) and am in despair.(AA)
16 Your wrath(AB) has swept over me;
your terrors(AC) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AD)
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AE) and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
Footnotes
- Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
- Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
- Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
- Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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