LXXXVIII A PETITION TO BE SAVED FROM DEATH
A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Chief Musician;
set to Mahalath Leannoth.〖Or, for singing.〗 Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.
[1] O JEHOVAH, the God of my salvation,
I have cried day and night before thee.
[2] Let my prayer enter into thy presence;
Incline thine ear unto my cry.
[3] For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life draweth nigh unto Sheol.
[4] I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit;
I am as a man that hath no help,
[5] Cast off〖Or, away.〗 among the dead,
Like the slain that lie in the grave,
Whom thou rememberest no more,
And they are cut off from thy hand.
[6] Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit,
In dark places, in the deeps.
[7] Thy wrath lieth hard upon me,
And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. [Selah
[8] Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me;
Thou hast made me an abomination unto them:
I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
[9] Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction:
I have called daily upon thee, O Jehovah;
I have spread forth my hands unto thee.
[10] Wilt thou show wonders to the dead?
Shall they〖Or, the shades.Heb. Rephaim.〗 that are deceased arise and praise thee? [Selah
[11] Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
Or thy faithfulness in Destruction?〖Heb. Abaddon. See Job 26. 6.〗
[12] Shall thy wonders be known in the dark?
And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
[13] But unto thee, O Jehovah, have I cried;
And in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.
[14] Jehovah, why castest thou off my soul?
Why hidest thou thy face from me?
[15] I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up:
While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
[16] Thy fierce wrath is gone over me;
Thy terrors have cut me off.
[17] They came round about me like water all the day long;
They compassed me about together.
[18] Lover and friend hast thou put far from me,
And mine acquaintance into〖Or, are darkness.〗 darkness.