- Lord God of health the hope and stay
- thou art alone to me,
- I call and cry throughout the day,
- and all the night to thee.
-
- 2 O let my prayers soon ascend,
- unto thy sight on high:
- Incline thine ear, O Lord entend,
- and hearken to my cry.
-
- 3 For why? my soul with woe is filled,
- and doth in trouble dwell:
- My life and breath almost doth yield,
- and draweth nigh to hell.
-
- 4 I am esteemed as one of them,
- that in the pit do fall:
- And made as one among those men,
- that have no strength at all.
-
- 5 As one among the dead and free
- from things that here remain:
- It were more ease for me to be,
- with them the which were slain;
- As those that lie in grave I say,
- whom thou hast clean forgot:
- The which thy hand hath cut away,
- and thou regardst them not.
-
- 6 Ye like to one shut up full sure,
- within the lower pit,
- In places dark and all obscure,
- and in the depth of it.
-
- 7 Thine anger and thy wrath likewise,
- full sore on me doth lie:
- And all thy storms against me rise,
- my soul to vex and try.
-
- 8 Thou putst my friends far off from me,
- and makest them hate me sore:
- I am shut up in prison fast,
- and can come forth no more.
-
- 9 My sight doth fail through grief and woe,
- I call to thee O God,
- Throughout the day, my hands also
- to thee I stretch abroad.
