Psalms 88:9-1953 kjv — Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee…

“Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction: I have called daily upon thee, O Jehovah; I have spread forth my hands unto thee. Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? Shall they that are deceased arise and praise thee? [Selah Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But unto thee, O Jehovah, have I cried; And in the morning shall my prayer come before thee. Jehovah, why castest thou off my soul? Why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me like water all the day long; They compassed me about together. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness. ”

“My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you. Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Selah. Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction? Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to you, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you. Yahweh, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted. Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me. You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness. A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.”

“My eyes grow weak because of oppression. I call out to you, O LORD, all day long; I spread out my hands in prayer to you. Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks?(Selah) Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead? Are your amazing deeds experienced in the dark region, or your deliverance in the land of oblivion? As for me, I cry out to you, O LORD; in the morning my prayer confronts you. O LORD, why do you reject me, and pay no attention to me? I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth. I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain. Your anger overwhelms me; your terrors destroy me. They surround me like water all day long; they join forces and encircle me. You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance; those who know me leave me alone in the darkness.”

“O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee. Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof. Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies. Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded: The north and the sea thou hast created. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name: Thy arm is with might. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted: Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face: Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance: And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted. For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of Israel. Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people. I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him. For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him. And I will cut down his enemies before his face; and them that hate him I will put to flight. And my truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation. And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth. I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him. And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven. And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments: If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments: I will visit their iniquities with a rod and their sins with stripes. But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail. Neither will I profane my covenant: and the words that proceed from my mouth I will not make void. Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David: His seed shall endure for ever. And his throne as the sun before me: and as the moon perfect for ever, and a faithful witness in heaven. But thou hast rejected and despised: thou hast been angry with my anointed. Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his sanctuary on the earth. Thou hast broken down all his hedges: thou hast made his strength fear. All that pass by the way have robbed him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours. Thou hast set up the right hand of them that oppress him: thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast turned away the help of his sword; and hast not assisted him in battle. Thou hast made his purification to cease: and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground. Thou hast shortened the days of his time: thou hast covered him with confusion. How long, O Lord, turnest thou away unto the end? shall thy anger burn like fire? Remember what my substance is: for hast thou made all the children of men in vain? Who is the man that shall live, and not see death: that shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell? Lord, where are thy ancient mercies, according to what thou didst swear to David in thy truth? Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy servants (which I have held in my bosom) of many nations: Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it. ”

“My eyes are wasting away because of my trouble: Lord, my cry has gone up to you every day, my hands are stretched out to you. Will you do works of wonder for the dead? will the shades come back to give you praise? (Selah.) Will the story of your mercy be given in the house of the dead? will news of your faith come to the place of destruction? May there be knowledge of your wonders in the dark? or of your righteousness where memory is dead? But to you did I send up my cry, O Lord; in the morning my prayer came before you. Lord, why have you sent away my soul? why is your face covered from me? I have been troubled and in fear of death from the time when I was young; your wrath is hard on me, and I have no strength. The heat of your wrath has gone over me; I am broken by your cruel punishments. They are round me all the day like water; they have made a circle about me. You have sent my friends and lovers far from me; I am gone from the memory of those who are dear to me.”

“Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. ”