Now ¹  the earth ²  was without shape and empty, ³  and darkness ⁴  was over the surface of the watery deep, ⁵  but the Spirit of God ⁶  was moving ⁷  over the surface ⁸  of the water. ⁹ 

Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon ¹  Saul. He was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing the lyre. ² 

They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, ¹  and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made him angry. ² 

“This is what Hezekiah says: ¹  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ²  and humiliation, ³  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁴ 

Let its morning stars ¹  be darkened; let it wait ²  for daylight but find none, ³  nor let it see the first rays ⁴  of dawn,

Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; ¹  a fire which has not been kindled ²  will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.

Have mercy on me, ¹  Lord, for I am frail! Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking! ² 

He shrouded himself in darkness, ¹  in thick rain clouds. ² 

The roof of my mouth ¹  is as dry as a piece of pottery; my tongue sticks to my gums. ²  You ³  set me in the dust of death. ⁴ 

Then you turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. ¹ 

When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, ¹  and refrained from eating food. ²  (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!) ³ 

Don’t let the current overpower me! Don’t let the deep swallow me up! Don’t let the pit ¹  devour me! ² 

adrift ¹  among the dead, like corpses lying in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from your power. ² 

May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy. ¹ 

Certainly ¹  my enemies ²  chase me. They smash me into the ground. ³  They force me to live ⁴  in dark regions, ⁵  like those who have been dead for ages.

You will be shocked and amazed! ¹  You are totally blind! ²  They are drunk, ³  but not because of wine; they stagger, ⁴  but not because of beer.

Night and day it will burn; ¹  its smoke will ascend continually. Generation after generation it will be a wasteland and no one will ever pass through it again.

“This is what Hezekiah says: ¹  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ²  and humiliation, ³  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁴ 

For this reason deliverance ¹  is far from us ²  and salvation does not reach us. We wait for light, ³  but see only darkness; ⁴  we wait for ⁵  a bright light, ⁶  but live ⁷  in deep darkness. ⁸ 

For, look, darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers ¹  the nations, but the Lord shines on you; his splendor ²  appears over you.