1 - ?A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. Title: Possibly a tune, "The Suffering of Affliction" A maskil Title: Probably a literary or musical term of Heman the Ezrahite.?
Lord, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you.

2 - May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.

3 - I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death.

4 - I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength.

5 - I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.

6 - You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.

7 - Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. The Hebrew has [Selah] (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.

8 - You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape;

9 - my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you.

10 - Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do their spirits rise up and praise you?

11 - Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction Hebrew [Abaddon]?

12 - Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 - But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

14 - Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?

15 - From my youth I have suffered and been close to death; I have borne your terrors and am in despair.

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

17 - All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.

18 - You have taken from me friend and neighbor - darkness is my closest friend.