What does Psalms Chapter 87 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Domine Deus salutis is the incipit. The heading separately associates grievous affliction with Christ's passion, death and burial. The inscription names Core's sons, Maheleth to answer and understanding for Eman the Ezrahite. The notes explain a possible musical instrument and answering chorus and give Eman or David in his name as alternatives, not a settled authorship verdict.

The speaker cried day and night to the God of salvation and asks prayer admitted and an ear inclined. His soul is full of evils and life near hell; he is counted among pit-descenders as a man without help, free among the dead, like slain people in sepulchres forgotten and cut off. These comparisons do not establish that he has died. He says they laid him in the lower pit, darkness and death's shadow, with wrath strong and all waves upon him. God put acquaintances away and they made him an abomination; delivered up, he came not forth. Eyes languished through poverty, he called all day and spread hands. No documented prison or diagnosis is supplied.

He asks whether wonders will be shown to the dead, physicians raise them to praise, mercy be declared in the sepulchre or truth in destruction, wonders in darkness or justice in forgetfulness. The questions remain questions. Having cried, he says morning prayer shall come before God and asks why his prayer is cast off and face turned away. Poor and laboring from youth, exalted then humbled and troubled, he describes wrath, terrors and an all-day surrounding like water. Friend, neighbor and acquaintances are far because of misery. The ending does not narrate recovery or resolve the lament into a proved cure.