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,

O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and 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 unto the grave.

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

I am counted 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.

Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they 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 darkness, in the deeps.

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

Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me 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 away mine acquaintance 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 mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, 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 shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.

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

Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or 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 unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

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

Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why 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 ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

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

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

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

They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.

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

Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.