Psalm 38
Prayer of a Suffering Sinner
A Davidic psalm for remembrance.(A)
1 Lord, do not punish me in Your anger
or discipline me in Your wrath.(B)
2 For Your arrows have sunk into me,
and Your hand has pressed down on me.(C)
3 There is no health in my body
because of Your indignation;
there is no strength[a] in my bones
because of my sin.(D)
4 For my sins have flooded over my head;
they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.(E)
5 My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.(F)
6 I am bent over and brought low;
all day long I go around in mourning.(G)
7 For my loins are full of burning pain,
and there is no health in my body.(H)
8 I am faint and severely crushed;
I groan because of the anguish of my heart.(I)
9 Lord, my every desire is known to[b] You;
my sighing is not hidden from You.(J)
10 My heart races, my strength leaves me,
and even the light of my eyes has faded.[c](K)
11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,
and my relatives stand at a distance.(L)
12 Those who seek my life set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.(M)
13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person
who does not open his mouth.(N)
14 I am like a man who does not hear
and has no arguments in his mouth.(O)
15 I put my hope in You, Lord;
You will answer, Lord my God.(P)
16 For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me—
those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”(Q)
17 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is constantly with me.(R)
18 So I confess my guilt;
I am anxious because of my sin.(S)
19 But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;[d]
many hate me for no reason.(T)
20 Those who repay evil for good
attack me for pursuing good.(U)
21 Lord, do not abandon me;
my God, do not be far from me.(V)
22 Hurry to help me,
Lord, my Savior.(W)
Footnotes
- Psalm 38:3 Hb shalom
- Psalm 38:9 Lit is in front of
- Psalm 38:10 Or and the light of my eyes—even that is not with me
- Psalm 38:19 Or numerous
Cross references
- 38:title : Ps 70 title
- 38:1 : Ps 6:1
- 38:2 : Jb 6:4; Ps 32:4
- 38:3 : Jb 33:19; Ps 31:10; 102:10
- 38:4 : Ezr 9:6; Ps 40:12
- 38:5 : Is 1:6
- 38:6 : Ps 35:14
- 38:7 : Ps 38:3; Lm 1:13
- 38:8 : Jb 3:24; Ps 6:6; 32:3; Lm 2:11
- 38:9 : Ps 10:17
- 38:10 : Ps 6:7; 69:3; 88:9
- 38:11 : Jb 19:13-20; Ps 31:11; 88:18
- 38:12 : Ps 35:4, 20; 54:3; 140:5
- 38:13 : Ps 39:2, 9
- 38:14 : Jb 23:4
- 38:15 : Ps 17:6; 39:7
- 38:16 : Ps 13:4; 35:26
- 38:17 : Ps 13:2; 35:15
- 38:18 : Ps 32:5; 2Co 7:9-10
- 38:19 : Ps 18:17; 35:19
- 38:20 : Ps 35:12; 109:5; 3Jn 11
- 38:21 : Ps 22:19; 35:22
- 38:22 : Ps 40:13, 17