Psalms 38

A psalm of David. A petition.

1 [a]LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.
5 My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.
6 I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.
7 My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.
9 All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie.
13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”
17 For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies without cause[b] ; those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good.
21 LORD, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.

Cross References 43

  • 1. Psalms 6:1
  • 2. S Job 6:4; Psalms 32:4
  • 3. Proverbs 3:8; Proverbs 4:22
  • 4. S Job 33:19; Psalms 6:2; Isaiah 1:6
  • 5. Psalms 40:12; Psalms 65:3
  • 6. S Numbers 11:14; S Ezra 9:6; Luke 11:46
  • 7. ver 11; Psalms 147:3
  • 8. Job 19:17
  • 9. Psalms 69:5; Proverbs 5:23; Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 13:16; Ecclesiastes 10:3
  • 10. Psalms 57:6; Psalms 145:14; Psalms 146:8
  • 11. Job 30:28; S Psalms 35:14; Psalms 42:9
  • 12. S Job 14:22; Psalms 102:3
  • 13. ver 3
  • 14. Psalms 34:18; Proverbs 17:22
  • 15. S Psalms 6:6; Psalms 22:1; Proverbs 5:11
  • 16. S Psalms 6:3
  • 17. Psalms 119:20; Psalms 143:7
  • 18. S Job 3:24; Psalms 6:6; Psalms 10:17
  • 19. S Job 37:1
  • 20. S Psalms 31:10
  • 21. S Psalms 6:7; S Psalms 19:8; Psalms 88:9
  • 22. S ver 5; Psalms 31:11
  • 23. Psalms 31:4; Psalms 140:5; Psalms 141:9
  • 24. Psalms 35:4; Psalms 41:5; Psalms 54:3
  • 25. S Psalms 35:20
  • 26. Psalms 115:6; Psalms 135:17; Isaiah 43:8; Mark 7:37
  • 27. Psalms 27:14; Psalms 39:7
  • 28. Psalms 17:6
  • 29. S Psalms 22:17; Psalms 35:26
  • 30. S Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalms 13:4
  • 31. S Psalms 37:24
  • 32. ver 7; S Job 6:10
  • 33. S Leviticus 26:40; Psalms 32:5
  • 34. S Psalms 18:17
  • 35. S Psalms 25:19
  • 36. S Psalms 35:19
  • 37. S Genesis 44:4; Psalms 35:12; 1 John 3:12
  • 38. Psalms 54:5; Psalms 59:10; Psalms 119:23
  • 39. Psalms 27:9; Psalms 71:18; Psalms 119:8
  • 40. S Psalms 10:1; S Psalms 22:11; Psalms 35:22; Psalms 71:12
  • 41. S Psalms 22:19
  • 42. Psalms 40:13
  • 43. S 1 Chronicles 16:35; Psalms 27:1

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
  • [b]. One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text "my vigorous enemies"

Psalms 38 Commentaries

Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.