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

3 For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life (C)draws near to the grave.
4 I am counted with those who (D)go[c] down to the pit;
(E)I am like a man who has no 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.

6 You have laid me in the lowest pit,
In darkness, in the depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
And You have afflicted me with 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 am shut up, and I cannot get out;
9 My eye wastes away because of affliction.

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

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

#### Footnotes

1. Psalm 88:1 Heb. Maschil
2. Psalm 88:2 Listen to
3. Psalm 88:4 Die
4. Psalm 88:5 Lit. Free
5. Psalm 88:8 taken away my friends
6. Psalm 88:10 shades, ghosts
7. Psalm 88:16 destroyed me

#### Cross references

1. Psalm 88:1 : 1 Kin. 4:31; 1 Chr. 2:6
2. Psalm 88:1 : Ps. 27:9; [Luke 18:7]
3. Psalm 88:3 : Ps. 107:18
4. Psalm 88:4 : [Ps. 28:1]
5. Psalm 88:4 : Ps. 31:12
6. Psalm 88:7 : Ps. 42:7
7. Psalm 88:8 : Job 19:13, 19; Ps. 31:11; 142:4
8. Psalm 88:8 : Lam. 3:7
9. Psalm 88:9 : Ps. 86:3
10. Psalm 88:18 : Job 19:13; Ps. 31:11; 38:11

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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