NKJV A Prayer for Help in Despondency: A Song Contemplation of Heman the Ezrahite (not Haman of the Book of Esther).
O Lord, God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.
I have cried out day and night before You.
Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry.
Incline Your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles,
And my life draws near to the grave.
And my life draws near to the grave.
I am counted with those who go down to the pit;
I am like a man who has no strength,
I am like a man who has no strength,
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.
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You remember no more,
And who are cut off from Your hand.
You have laid me in the lowest pit,
In darkness, in the depths.
In darkness, in the depths.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
And You have afflicted me with all Your waves.
And You have afflicted me with all Your waves.
Selah
You 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;
You have made me an abomination to them;
I am shut up, and I cannot get out;
My eye wastes away because of affliction.
Lord, I have called daily upon You;
I have stretched out my hands to You.
I have stretched out my hands to You.
Will You work wonders for the dead?
Shall the dead arise and praise You?
Shall the dead arise and praise You?
Selah
Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
But to You I have cried out, O Lord,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
Lord, why do You cast off my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?
Why do You hide Your face from me?
I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;
I suffer Your terrors;
I am distraught.
I suffer Your terrors;
I am distraught.
Your fierce wrath has gone over me;
Your terrors have cut me off.
Your terrors have cut me off.
They came around me all day long like water;
They engulfed me altogether.
They engulfed me altogether.
Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
And my acquaintances into darkness.
And my acquaintances into darkness.
For Interest:
- In the King James and New King James (version here), words in italics indicate that words were added to the original to make it work, grammatically, in English. Try reading a few lines without the added words.
Journal: Psalm 88
- Find two differences between this Psalm and any Psalm you have ever heard or read (if none come to mind, read what may be most famous poem in human history for comparison: Psalm 23). Explain the differences you observe.
