1 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,

Jehovah, God of my salvation, I have cried by day in the night before thee.

2 M y prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry,

Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine ear unto my cry.

3 F or my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol.

For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh to Sheol.

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

I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength:

5 A mong 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.

Prostrate among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave; whom thou rememberest no more, and who are cut off from thy hand.

6 T hou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths.

Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, in the deeps.

7 U pon me hath Thy fury lain, And all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah.

Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted with all thy waves. Selah.

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

Thou hast put my familiar friends far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

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

Mine eye consumeth by reason of affliction. Upon thee, Jehovah, have I called every day; I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

10 T o the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? Selah.

Wilt thou do wonders to the dead? shall the shades arise and praise thee? Selah.

11 I s Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction?

Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? thy faithfulness in Destruction?

12 A re Thy wonders known in the darkness? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

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

But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.

14 W hy, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest Thy face from me.

Why, O Jehovah, castest thou off my soul? hidest thou thy face from me?

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

I am afflicted and expiring from my youth up; I suffer thy terrors, I am distracted.

16 O ver me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off,

Thy fierce anger hath gone over me; thy terrors have brought me to nought:

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

They have surrounded me all the day like water; they have compassed me about together.

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

Lover and associate hast thou put far from me: my familiar friends are darkness.