This and the ‘penitential’ Psalm 37 are very similar, but there is not the same frank confession of guilt here. There is no mention of it, and the term ‘penitential,’ though traditional, seems scarcely applicable. The ‘anger’ and ‘rage’ of God, like his ‘forsaking,’ may be conventional metaphors for the psalmist’s suffering. At this stage of revelation, there is no hope of praising God beyond the grave. The conclusion should be clear: death would deprive God of one of his servants. The implication is almost irrelevant that God will be the loser if the psalmist dies. Can we dare to question God in our private prayers? We suppose not, but some inspired authors come very close to it. Let us not be too scrupulous: the psalmist allows God to speak and acknowledges that God has answered his prayers. God knows how awkward we are and that we mean well. He is a Father, not a literary critic.
The letter to the Hebrews mentions Jesus’s cries and tears in Hebrews 5:7. This is a fitting psalm to cry out to for our sins.