Psalms 38
38
PSALM 38
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
1In thy great indignation,
O Lord, rebuke me not;
Nor on me lay thy chast'ning hand,
in thy displeasure hot.
2For in me fast thine arrows stick,
thine hand doth press me sore:
3And in my flesh there is no health,
nor soundness any more.
This grief I have, because thy wrath
is forth against me gone;
And in my bones there is no rest,
for sin that I have done.
4Because gone up above mine head
my great transgressions be;
And, as a weighty burden, they
too heavy are for me.
5My wounds do stink, and are corrupt;
my folly makes it so.
6I troubled am, and much bow'd down;
all day I mourning go.
7For a disease that loathsome is
so fills my loins with pain,
That in my weak and weary flesh
no soundness doth remain.
8So feeble and infirm am I,
and broken am so sore,
That, through disquiet of my heart,
I have been made to roar.
9O Lord, all that I do desire
is still before thine eye;
And of my heart the secret groans
not hidden are from thee.
10My heart doth pant incessantly,
my strength doth quite decay;
As for mine eyes, their wonted light
is from me gone away.
11My lovers and my friends do stand
at distance from my sore;
And those do stand aloof that were
kinsmen and kind before.
12Yea, they that seek my life lay snares:
who seek to do me wrong
Speak things mischievous, and deceits
imagine all day long.
13But, as one deaf, that heareth not,
I suffer'd all to pass;
I as a dumb man did become,
whose mouth not open'd was:
14As one that hears not, in whose mouth
are no reproofs at all.
15For, Lord, I hope in thee; my God,
thou'lt hear me when I call.
16For I said, Hear me, lest they should
rejoice o'er me with pride;
And o'er me magnify themselves,
when as my foot doth slide.
17For I am near to halt, my grief
is still before mine eye:
18For I'll declare my sin, and grieve
for mine iniquity.
19But yet mine en'mies lively are,
and strong are they beside;
And they that hate me wrongfully
are greatly multiply'd.
20And they for good that render ill,
as en'mies me withstood;
Yea, ev'n for this, because that I
do follow what is good.
21Forsake me not, O Lord; my God,
far from me never be.
22O Lord, thou my salvation art,
haste to give help to me.
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Psalms 38: MP1650
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 38
38
Prayer of an Afflicted Sinner
1A psalm of David. For remembrance.
I
2Lord, do not punish me in your anger;
in your wrath do not chastise me!#Ps 6:2.
3Your arrows have sunk deep in me;#Jb 6:4; Lam 3:12; Ps 31:11; 64:7.
your hand has come down upon me.
4There is no wholesomeness in my flesh because of your anger;
there is no health in my bones because of my sin.#Is 1:5–6.
5My iniquities overwhelm me,
a burden too heavy for me.#Ps 40:13; Ezr 9:6.
II
6Foul and festering are my sores
because of my folly.
7I am stooped and deeply bowed;#Ps 35:14.
every day I go about mourning.
8My loins burn with fever;
there is no wholesomeness in my flesh.
9I am numb and utterly crushed;
I wail with anguish of heart.#Ps 102:4–6.
10My Lord, my deepest yearning is before you;
my groaning is not hidden from you.
11My heart shudders, my strength forsakes me;
the very light of my eyes has failed.#Ps 6:8; 31:10.
12Friends and companions shun my disease;
my neighbors stand far off.
13Those who seek my life lay snares for me;
they seek my misfortune, they speak of ruin;
they plot treachery every day.
III
14But I am like the deaf, hearing nothing,
like the mute, I do not open my mouth,
15I am even like someone who does not hear,
who has no answer ready.
16Lord, it is for you that I wait;
O Lord, my God, you respond.#Ps 13:4.
17For I have said that they would gloat over me,
exult over me if I stumble.
IV
18I am very near to falling;
my wounds are with me always.
19I acknowledge my guilt
and grieve over my sin.#Ps 32:5; 51:5.
20My enemies live and grow strong,
those who hate me grow numerous fraudulently,
21Repaying me evil for good,
accusing me for pursuing good.#Ps 109:5.
22Do not forsake me, O Lord;
my God, be not far from me!#Ps 22:2, 12, 20; 35:22.
23Come quickly to help me,#Ps 40:14.
my Lord and my salvation!
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