38
Psalm 38 · Book One · David
A Psalm of David, for remembrance.
The Hebrew title · Berean Standard Bible
Penitential
About this psalm
A psalm for remembrance, and one of the most physical in the book: no soundness in the flesh, wounds that stink, a heart that pants, sight gone. David ties it to his own sin and does not argue. His friends stand away from his sore, and he answers none of them — I was as a man that heareth not. The last line is bare: Make haste to help me.
Read it when you are ill, or ashamed, or both.
One verse at a time, slowly
1O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath:neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger;neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head:as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.6I am troubled;I am bowed down greatly;I go mourning all the day long.7For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease:and there is no soundness in my flesh.8I am feeble and sore broken:I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.9Lord, all my desire is before thee;and my groaning is not hid from thee.10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me:as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore;and my kinsmen stand afar off.12They also that seek after my life lay snares for me:and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.13But I, as a deaf man, heard not;and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.15For in thee, O LORD, do I hope:thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.16For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me:when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.17For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.18For I will declare mine iniquity;I will be sorry for my sin.19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong:and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries;because I follow the thing that good is.21Forsake me not, O LORD:O my God, be not far from me.22Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
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Open Psalm 38 in XA Daily for the Hebrew, the cross-references and the other translations.