My heart pounds within me; death’s terrors fall upon me.
At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: “Get up, let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave at once, or he will quickly overtake us, and then bring disaster upon us, and put the city to the sword.”
When I think of it, I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
For the arrows of the Almighty are in me, and my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
My flesh shudders with dread of you; I fear your judgments.
The cords of Sheol encircled me; the snares of death lay in wait for me.
Why are you downcast, my soul; why do you groan within me? Wait for God, for I shall again praise him, my savior and my God.
Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer!
My mind reels, shuddering assails me; The twilight I yearned for he has turned into dread.
They put on sackcloth, horror clothes them; shame is on all their faces, all their heads are shaved bald.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.]