Psalms

A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1O LORD, the God of my salvation,day and night I cry out before You.

2May my prayer come before You;incline Your ear to my cry.

3For my soul is full of troubles,and my life draws near to Sheol.

4I am counted among those descending to the Pit.I am like a man without strength.

5I am forsaken among the dead,like the slain who lie in the grave,whom You remember no more,who are cut off from Your care.

6You have laid me in the lowest Pit,in the darkest of the depths.

7Your wrath weighs heavily upon me;all Your waves have submerged me.Selah

8You have removed my friends from me;You have made me repulsive to them; I am confined and cannot escape.

9My eyes grow dim with grief.I call to You daily, O LORD; I spread out my hands to You.

10Do You work wonders for the dead?Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?Selah

11Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave,Your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12Will Your wonders be known in the darkness,or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

13But to You, O LORD, I cry for help;in the morning my prayer comes before You.

14Why, O LORD, do You reject me?Why do You hide Your face from me?

15From my youth I was afflicted and near death.I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.

16Your wrath has swept over me;Your terrors have destroyed me.

17All day long they engulf me like water;they enclose me on every side.

18You have removed my beloved and my friend;darkness is my closest companion.

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite.

1LORD, the God of my salvation,I have cried day and night before you.

2Let my prayer enter into your presence.Turn your ear to my cry.

3For my soul is full of troubles.My life draws near to Sheol.

4I am counted among those who go down into the pit.I am like a man who has no help,

5set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.

6You have laid me in the lowest pit,in the darkest depths.

7Your wrath lies heavily on me.You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.

8You have taken my friends from me.You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can’t escape.

9My eyes are dim from grief.I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you.

10Do you show wonders to the dead?Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah.

11Is your loving kindness declared in the grave?Or your faithfulness in Destruction?

12Are your wonders made known in the dark?Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13But to you, LORD, I have cried.In the morning, my prayer comes before you.

14LORD, why do you reject my soul?Why do you hide your face from me?

15I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.

16Your fierce wrath has gone over me.Your terrors have cut me off.

17They came around me like water all day long.They completely engulfed me.

18You have put lover and friend far from me,and my friends into darkness.