This psalm is attributed to an afflicted man.  It speaks of the times when he is faint and pours out his lament to the Lord.  It was written during the time that the Jews were in exile in Babylon.  The writer appears to have many afflictions.  He speaks about his bones burning.  His heart is weary and he forgets to eat and because he forgets to eat, he has lost weight so he is just skin and bones.  The writer also has trouble sleeping.  However, he continues to have faith that the Lord will restore Zion (Israel) to its former glory and that they will be returned to their homeland of Israel.  This did happen and the Israelites were returned to their homeland but not until seventy years had passed.  The psalm ends telling us about the faithfulness of God.

When I was a young wife and mother, we lived with my husband's grandparents. Friends of my husband's grandmother would come over in the evening and talk.  What an experience it was for me to hear the stories of their home states.  All of the women came from the south and the stories that they told were of the hard times and the good times and how God had been faithful to them through it all.