For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song to be sung to the tune “The Suffering of Affliction.” A psalma of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
I cry out to you by day.
I come to you at night.
1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
I cry out to you by day.
I come to you at night.
2 Now hear my prayer;
listen to my cry.
listen to my cry.
3 For my life is full of troubles,
and deathb draws near.
and deathb draws near.
4 I am as good as dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.
like a strong man with no strength left.
5 They have left me among the dead,
and I lie like a corpse in a grave.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
and I lie like a corpse in a grave.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
6 You have thrown me into the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths.
into the darkest depths.
7 Your anger weighs me down;
with wave after wave you have engulfed me.
Interlude
with wave after wave you have engulfed me.
Interlude
8 You have driven my friends away
by making me repulsive to them.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
by making me repulsive to them.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9 My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O LORD;
I lift my hands to you for mercy.
Each day I beg for your help, O LORD;
I lift my hands to you for mercy.
10 Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead?
Do the dead rise up and praise you?
Interlude
Do the dead rise up and praise you?
Interlude
11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?c
Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?c
12 Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13 O LORD, I cry out to you.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
14 O LORD, why do you reject me?
Why do you turn your face from me?
Why do you turn your face from me?
15 I have been sick and close to death since my youth.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
Your terrors have paralyzed me.
Your terrors have paralyzed me.
17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
They have engulfed me completely.
They have engulfed me completely.
18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones.
Darkness is my closest friend.
Darkness is my closest friend.