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Psalm 88 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

A Prayer for Help in Despondency

Psa 88:1

Psa 88:1A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath Leannoth.” A Contemplation[fn] of Heman the Ezrahite.

O LORD, God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.

Psa 88:2

Psa 88:2Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry.

Psa 88:3

Psa 88:3For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life draws near to the grave.

Psa 88:4

Psa 88:4I am counted with those who go down to the pit;
I am like a man who has no strength,

Psa 88:5

Psa 88:5Adrift among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And who are cut off from Your hand.

Psa 88:6

Psa 88:6You have laid me in the lowest pit,
In darkness, in the depths.

Psa 88:7

Psa 88:7Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah

Psa 88:8

Psa 88:8You have put away my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an abomination to them;
I am shut up, and I cannot get out;

Psa 88:9

Psa 88:9My eye wastes away because of affliction.

LORD, I have called daily upon You;
I have stretched out my hands to You.

Psa 88:10

Psa 88:10Will You work wonders for the dead?
Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah

Psa 88:11

Psa 88:11Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?

Psa 88:12

Psa 88:12Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Psa 88:13

Psa 88:13But to You I have cried out, O LORD,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

Psa 88:14

Psa 88:14LORD, why do You cast off my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?

Psa 88:15

Psa 88:15I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;
I suffer Your terrors;
I am distraught.

Psa 88:16

Psa 88:16Your fierce wrath has gone over me;
Your terrors have cut me off.

Psa 88:17

Psa 88:17They came around me all day long like water;
They engulfed me altogether.

Psa 88:18

Psa 88:18Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
And my acquaintances into darkness.
See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
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New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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Psalm Chapter 88 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras