1 ¶ O LORD God of my saving health, I cry day and night before Thee;

A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah, to the Overseer, `Concerning the Sickness of Afflictions.' -- An instruction, by Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before Thee,

2 l et my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry;

My prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry,

3 f or my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near unto Sheol.

For my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol.

4 I am counted with those that go down into the pit; I am as a man that has no strength:

I have been reckoned with those going down the pit, I have been as a man without strength.

5 F reed among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou dost remember no more; and they are cut off from thy hand.

Among the dead -- free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off.

6 T hou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

Thou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.

7 T hy wrath lies hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah.

8 T hou hast put away mine acquaintances far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them; I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, Thou hast made me an abomination to them, Shut up -- I go not forth.

9 M y eye mourns by reason of affliction; LORD, I have called daily upon thee; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

Mine eye hath grieved because of affliction, I called Thee, O Jehovah, all the day, I have spread out unto Thee my hands.

10 ¶ Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.

To the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? Selah.

11 S hall thy mercy be declared in the grave? or thy truth in hell?

Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction?

12 S hall thy wonder be known in darkness? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Are Thy wonders known in the darkness? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 B ut unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.

And I, unto Thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, And in the morning doth my prayer come before Thee.

14 L ORD, why dost thou cast off my soul? why dost thou hide thy face from me?

Why, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest Thy face from me.

15 I am afflicted and destitute; from my youth up I have feared thee and been in awe of thee.

I afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Thy terrors -- I pine away.

16 T hy fierce wrath goes over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

Over me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off,

17 T hey came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.

They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone round against me together,

18 T hou hast put lover and friend far from me, and placed my acquaintances into darkness.

Thou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance the place of darkness!