1 A song, a psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief musician. According to Mahalath Leannoth, a contemplative poem of Heman the Ezrahite.

O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:

2 LORD, the God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you.

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

3 Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry.

For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

4 For my soul is filled with troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.

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

5 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.

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 Abandoned among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, cut off from your care.

Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

7 You have placed me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.

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

8 Your wrath weighs heavily upon me, and you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. Selah.

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 You have taken my closest friends from me; you have made me a horror to them. I am confined and cannot escape.

Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

10 My eyes are wasted from sorrow; I call upon you, LORD, every day; I stretch out my hands to you.

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

11 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah.

Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?

12 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

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

13 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

14 But I, LORD, cry to you for help; in the morning, my prayer comes before you.

LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?

15 Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?

I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

16 I have been afflicted and close to death since my youth; I have borne your terrors and am in despair.

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

17 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.

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

18 They surround me all day long like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.

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

19 You have taken away my friends and companions; darkness is my closest acquaintance.