A Cry for Help
1 Lord God, my savior, I cry out all day,
and at night I come before you.
2 Hear my prayer;
listen to my cry for help!
3 So many troubles have fallen on me
that I am close to death.
4 I am like all others who are about to die;
all my strength is gone.
5 I am abandoned among the dead;
I am like the slain lying in their graves,
those you have forgotten completely,
who are beyond your help.
6 You have thrown me into the depths of the tomb,
into the darkest and deepest pit.
7 Your anger lies heavy on me,
and I am crushed beneath its waves.
8 You have caused my friends to abandon me;
you have made me repulsive to them.
I am closed in and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are weak from suffering.
Lord, every day I call to you
and lift my hands to you in prayer.
10 Do you perform miracles for the dead?
Do they rise up and praise you?
11 Is your constant love spoken of in the grave
or your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
12 Are your miracles seen in that place of darkness
or your goodness in the land of the forgotten?
13 Lord, I call to you for help;
every morning I pray to you.
14 Why do you reject me, Lord?
Why do you turn away from me?
15 Ever since I was young, I have suffered and been near death;
I am worn out from the burden of your punishments.
16 Your furious anger crushes me;
your terrible attacks destroy me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they close in on me from every side.
18 You have made even my closest friends abandon me,
and darkness is my only companion.
1 A song or Psalme of Heman the Ezrahite to give instruction, committed to the sonnes of Korah for him that excelleth upon Malath Leannoth. O Lord God of my saluation, I cry day and night before thee. 2 Let my prayer enter into thy presence: incline thine eare vnto my cry. 3 For my soule is filled with euils, and my life draweth neere to the graue. 4 I am counted among them that go downe vnto the pit, and am as a man without strength: 5 Free among the dead, like the slaine lying in the graue, whome thou remembrest no more, and they are cut off from thine hand. 6 Thou hast layde me in the lowest pit, in darkenes, and in the deepe. 7 Thine indignation lyeth vpon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy waues. Selah. 8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance farre from me, and made mee to be abhorred of them: I am shut vp, and cannot get foorth. 9 Mine eye is sorowfull through mine affliction: Lord, I call dayly vpon thee: I stretch out mine hands vnto thee. 10 Wilt thou shewe a miracle to the dead? or shall the dead rise and prayse thee? Selah. 11 Shall thy louing kindenes be declared in the graue? or thy faithfulnes in destruction? 12 Shall thy wonderous workes be knowen in the darke? and thy righteousnes in the land of obliuion? 13 But vnto thee haue I cryed, O Lord, and early shall my prayer come before thee. 14 Lord, why doest thou reiect my soule, and hidest thy face from me? 15 I am afflicted and at the point of death: from my youth I suffer thy terrours, doubting of my life. 16 Thine indignations goe ouer me, and thy feare hath cut me off. 17 They came round about me dayly like water, and compassed me together. 18 My louers and friends hast thou put away from me, and mine acquaintance hid themselues.