1A song. A psalm of the sons of Korach. For the leader. Set to "Sickness that Causes Suffering." A maskil of Heiman the Ezrachi. ADONAI, God of my salvation, when I cry out to you in the night,
2let my prayer come before you, turn your ear to my cry for help!
3For I am oversupplied with troubles, which have brought me to the brink of Sh'ol.
4I am counted among those going down to the pit, like a man who is beyond help,
5left by myself among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave -you no longer remember them; they are cut off from your care.
6You plunged me into the bottom of the pit, into dark places, into the depths.
7Your wrath lies heavily on me; your waves crashing over me keep me down. (Selah)
8You separated me from my close friends, made me repulsive to them; I am caged in, with no escape;
9my eyes grow dim from suffering. I call on you, ADONAI, every day; I spread out my hands to you.
10Will you perform wonders for the dead? Can the ghosts of the dead rise up and praise you? (Selah)
11Will your grace be declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12Will your wonders be known in the dark, or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?
13But I cry out to you, ADONAI; my prayer comes before you in the morning.
14So why, ADONAI, do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?
15Since my youth I have been miserable, close to death; I am numb from bearing these terrors of yours.
16Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me, your terrors have shriveled me up.
17They surge around me all day like a flood, from all sides they close in on me.
18You have made friends and companions shun me; the people I know are hidden from me.