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88
A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah. For the music director. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth.” A maskil by Heman the Ezrahite
1 Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night.
2 Please listen to my prayer; hear my words as I plead with you.
3 My life is full of troubles, and my death is approaching.* Literally, “my life reaches out to Sheol.”
4 I'm counted among the dying; a man with no strength.
5 I am abandoned among the dead, lying like a corpse in the grave, forgotten and beyond your care.
6 You have placed me in a deep pit, in the depths of darkness.
7 Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. Selah.
8 You have made my friends avoid me by making me look repulsive to them. I'm trapped, I can't go out.† Perhaps because he is regarded as unclean.
9 I've cried my eyes out begging you every day for your help, Lord, holding out my hands to you.
10 Do you do miracles among the dead? Do the dead stand up to praise you? Selah.
11 Your faithful love—is it mentioned in the grave? Your trustworthiness—is it discussed in the place of destruction?‡ “Place of destruction”: literally, “Abaddon.”
12 Are the wonderful things you do known in the darkness? Is your goodness known in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I cry out to you for help; every morning I pray to you.
14 Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn away from me?
15 I have been sick since I was young, often at death's door. I have had to bear the terrible things you've done to me. I'm in despair!
16 Your anger has overcome me; the terrible things you do have destroyed me.
17 They surround me all the time like floodwaters, swallowing me up.
18 You have made my family and friends avoid me. Darkness is my only friend.

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*88:3 Literally, “my life reaches out to Sheol.”

†88:8 Perhaps because he is regarded as unclean.

‡88:11 “Place of destruction”: literally, “Abaddon.”

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher