Psalms 88

A Petition to Be Saved from Death.

1 O LORD, the 1God of my salvation, I have 2cried out by day and in the night before You.
2 Let my prayer 3come before You; 4Incline Your ear to my cry!
3 For my 5soul has had enough troubles, And 6my life has drawn near to Sheol.
4 I am reckoned among those who 7go down to the pit; I have become like a man 8without strength,
5 Forsaken 9among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom You remember no more, And they are 10cut off from Your hand.
6 You have put me in 11the lowest pit, In 12dark places, in the 13depths.
7 Your wrath 14has rested upon me, And You have afflicted me with 15all Your waves. Selah.
8 You have removed 16my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an 17object of loathing to them; I am 18shut up and cannot go out.
9 My 19eye has wasted away because of affliction; I have 20called upon You every day, O LORD; I have 21spread out my hands to You.
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead? Will 22the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.
11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the 23darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O LORD, have cried out 24to You for help, And 25in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 O LORD, why 26do You reject my soul? Why do You 27hide Your face from me?
15 I was afflicted and 28about to die from my youth on; I suffer 29Your terrors; I am overcome.
16 Your 30burning anger has passed over me; Your terrors have 31destroyed me.
17 They have 32surrounded me 33like water all day long; They have 34encompassed me altogether.
18 You have removed 35lover and friend far from me; My acquaintances are in darkness.

Images for Psalms 88

Cross References 35

  • 1. Psalms 24:5; Psalms 27:9
  • 2. Psalms 22:2; Psalms 86:3; Luke 18:7
  • 3. Psalms 18:6
  • 4. Psalms 31:2; Psalms 86:1
  • 5. Psalms 107:26
  • 6. Psalms 107:18; Psalms 116:3
  • 7. Psalms 28:1; Psalms 143:7
  • 8. Job 29:12; Psalms 22:11
  • 9. Psalms 31:12
  • 10. Psalms 31:22; Isaiah 53:8
  • 11. Psalms 86:13; Lamentations 3:55
  • 12. Psalms 143:3
  • 13. Psalms 69:15
  • 14. Psalms 32:4; Psalms 39:10
  • 15. Psalms 42:7
  • 16. Job 19:13, 19; Psalms 31:11; Psalms 142:4
  • 17. Job 30:10
  • 18. Psalms 142:7; Jeremiah 32:2; Jeremiah 36:5
  • 19. Psalms 6:7; Psalms 31:9
  • 20. Psalms 22:2; Psalms 86:3
  • 21. Job 11:13; Psalms 143:6
  • 22. Psalms 6:5; Psalms 30:9
  • 23. Job 10:21; Psalms 88:6
  • 24. Psalms 30:2
  • 25. Psalms 5:3; Psalms 119:147
  • 26. Psalms 43:2; Psalms 44:9
  • 27. Job 13:24; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 44:24
  • 28. Proverbs 24:11
  • 29. Job 6:4; Job 31:23
  • 30. 2 Chronicles 28:11; Isaiah 13:13; Lamentations 1:12
  • 31. Lamentations 3:54; Ezekiel 37:11
  • 32. Psalms 118:10-12
  • 33. Psalms 124:4
  • 34. Psalms 17:11; Psalms 22:12, 16
  • 35. Job 19:13; Psalms 88:8; Psalms 31:11; Psalms 38:11

Footnotes 11

  • [a]. Or "been satisfied with"
  • [b]. I.e. the nether world
  • [c]. Lit "A freed one among the dead"
  • [d]. "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
  • [e]. Lit "abomination to them"
  • [f]. Lit "palms"
  • [g]. Or "ghosts, shades"
  • [h]. I.e. place of destruction
  • [i]. I.e. faithfulness to His gracious promises
  • [j]. Or "embarrassed"
  • [k]. Or "silenced"

Psalms 88 Commentaries

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.