Psalms 38

1 A Psalm of David, for remembrance. O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.

A Psalm. Of David. To keep in memory. O Lord, be not bitter with me in your wrath; let not your hand be on me in the heat of your passion.

2 For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.

For your arrows have gone into my flesh, and I am crushed under the weight of your hand.

3 There is no soundness in my body because of Your anger; there is no rest in my bones because of my sin.

My flesh is wasted because of your wrath; and there is no peace in my bones because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.

For my crimes have gone over my head; they are like a great weight which is more than my strength.

5 My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly.

My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour.

6 I am bent and brought low; all day long I go about mourning.

I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day.

7 For my loins are full of burning pain, and no soundness remains in my body.

For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy.

8 I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.

I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart.

9 O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You.

Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you.

10 My heart pounds, my strength fails, and even the light of my eyes has faded.

My heart goes out in pain, my strength is wasting away; as for the light of my eyes, it is gone from me.

11 My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance.

My lovers and my friends keep away from my disease; my relations keep far away.

12 Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.

Those who have a desire to take my life put nets for me; those who are designing my destruction say evil things against me, all the day their minds are full of deceit.

13 But like a deaf man, I do not hear; and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth.

But I kept my ears shut like a man without hearing; like a man without a voice, never opening his mouth.

14 I am like a man who cannot hear, whose mouth offers no reply.

So I was like a man whose ears are shut, and in whose mouth there are no sharp words.

15 I wait for You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God.

In you, O Lord, is my hope: you will give me an answer, O Lord, my God.

16 For I said, “Let them not gloat over me— those who taunt me when my foot slips.”

I said, Let them not be glad over me; when my foot is moved, let them not be lifted up with pride against me.

17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me.

My feet are near to falling, and my sorrow is ever before me.

18 Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

I will make clear my wrongdoing, with sorrow in my heart for my sin.

19 Many are my enemies without cause, and many hate me without reason.

But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers.

20 Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.

They give me back evil for good; they are my haters because I go after the thing which is right.

21 Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God.

Do not give me up, O Lord; O my God, be near to me.

22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation.