The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.(A)
I called to the Lord in my distress,
and I cried to my God for help.
From His temple He heard my voice,(B)
and my cry to Him reached His ears.(C)

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The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death(A) confronted me.

In my distress(B) I called to the Lord;(C)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;(D)
    my cry came(E) before him, into his ears.

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13 For Your faithful love for me is great,
and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.(A)

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13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me(A) from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.(B)

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Psalm 88

A Cry of Desperation

A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.(A)

Lord, God of my salvation,
I cry out before You day and night.(B)
May my prayer reach Your presence;
listen to my cry.(C)

For I have had enough troubles,
and my life is near Sheol.(D)
I am counted among those going down to the Pit.(E)
I am like a man without strength,(F)
abandoned[a] among the dead.
I am like the slain lying in the grave,(G)
whom You no longer remember,
and who are cut off from Your care.[b](H)

You have put me in the lowest part of the Pit,
in the darkest places, in the depths.(I)
Your wrath weighs heavily on me;(J)
You have overwhelmed me with all Your waves.(K)Selah

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:5 Or set free
  2. Psalm 88:5 Or hand

Psalm 88[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
    day and night I cry out(B) to you.
May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
    and my life draws near to death.(D)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
    I am like one without strength.(F)
I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off(G) from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.(H)
Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  3. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.

15 For you said, “We have cut a deal with Death,
and we have made an agreement with Sheol;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,(A)
it will not touch us,
because we have made falsehood our refuge
and have hidden behind treachery.”

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15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,(A)
    with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(B)
    it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie(C) our refuge
    and falsehood[a] our hiding place.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 28:15 Or false gods

18 For Sheol cannot thank You;
Death cannot praise You.(A)
Those who go down to the Pit
cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

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18 For the grave(A) cannot praise you,
    death cannot sing your praise;(B)
those who go down to the pit(C)
    cannot hope for your faithfulness.

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