Verse 1
"A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite"
The sons of Korah — Levite singers in the Temple; the chief Musician — the leader of the singers; Mahalath — perhaps an old tune, or a hint at sickness; Leannoth — a Hebrew word for singing that also sounds like affliction; Maschil — a teaching song; Heman the Ezrahite — a wise man of the family of Zerah. That is: the pain is heard from the very first words.
In one line: a teaching song of Heman, a song of pain.
Verse 2
"O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you"
God of my salvation — the God my rescue comes from; I have cried — called out loud to you, without a pause. That is: even in pain he knows where help will come from.
In one line: day and night I cry to you, God of my salvation.
Verse 3
"Let my prayer come before you: incline your ear to my cry"
Let my prayer come before you — let it reach you; incline your ear — listen closely; my cry — in Hebrew a loud call, here of pleading and weeping. That is: first he asks to be heard.
In one line: let my prayer reach you, listen to my cry.
Verse 4
"For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draws near to the grave"
Full of troubles — the Hebrew says sated, like one who ate until no room was left; the grave — in Hebrew Sheol, the place of the dead; draws near — has come to its doors. That is: life itself is at the edge.
In one line: my soul is full of sorrow, and my life is at death's door.
Verse 5
"I am counted with those who go down into the pit: I am as a man that has no strength"
I am counted — others already see me that way; the pit — a deep well, an image of the grave; a man that has no strength — emptied of all strength. That is: before the body breaks, others already count him as lost.
In one line: they already see me in the grave, a man without strength.
Verse 6
"Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom you remember no more: and they are cut off from your hand"
Free among the dead — not freedom: left alone among them; the slain — those who fell; whom you remember no more — no longer called to mind; cut off from your hand — from your care. That is: the hardest of all is to feel forgotten.
In one line: left alone among the dead, like one already forgotten.
Verse 7
"You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps"
The lowest pit — the deepest hole; darkness — places without light; the deeps — the depths of the waters, where a man sinks. That is: this part ends at the bottom, but he still speaks to the LORD: you laid me there.
In one line: you laid me in the deepest and darkest place.
From the night to the depths — a prayer that never stops turning to the LORD.