1 “A song or psalm of the sons of Korach, to the chief musician upon Machalath-le'annoth, a Maskil of Heman the Ezrachite.” (88:2) O Lord the God of my salvation, by day do I cry, [and] at night I am before thee. 2 (88:3) Let my prayer come unto thy presence; incline thy ear unto my entreaty. 3 (88:4) For my soul is sated with troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the nether world. 4 (88:5) I am counted with those that descend into the pit; I am become as a man without vigor: 5 (88:6) Free among the dead, like the slain that dwell in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more; and those that are cut off by thy hand. 6 (88:7) Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower world, in darkness, in the depths. 7 (88:8) Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. Selah. 8 (88:9) Thou hast removed my acquaintances far from me; thou hast rendered me an abomination unto them: I am imprisoned, and I cannot go forth. 9 (88:10) My eye languisheth by reason of affliction: I call on thee, O Lord, every day, I stretch out unto thee my hands. 10 (88:11) Wilt thou display wonders to the dead? shall the departed arise [and] thank thee? Selah. 11 (88:12) Shall thy kindness be related in the grave? thy faithfulness in the place of corruption? 12 (88:13) Shall thy wonders be acknowledged in the darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 13 (88:14) Yet I cry indeed aloud unto thee, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee. 14 (88:15) Why, O Lord, wilt thou cast off my soul? [why] wilt thou hide thy face from me? 15 (88:16) I am afflicted and perishing from my youth up: I bear thy terrors, I am distracted. 16 (88:17) Over me have the fires of thy wrath passed; thy terrors have destroyed me; 17 (88:18) They encompass me like water all the time; they have closed in round about me together. 18 (88:19) Thou hast removed far from me lover and friend, my acquaintances [are in] darkness.