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 bring to remembrance.” O Lord, correct me not in thy wrath, nor chastise me in thy fury.

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

For thy arrows have penetrated into me, and thy hand presseth down upon me.

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

There is no soundness in my flesh because of thy indignation: 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 iniquities are passed over my head, as a heavy burden are they too heavy for me.

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

Foul, corrupt are my bruises because of my folly.

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

I am bent double; I am bowed down to the utmost; all the day long I go about full of grief.

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

For my loins are filled with a burning disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh.

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

I am made faint and crushed to the utmost; I cry aloud because of the groaning of my heart.

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

Lord, before thee is all my longing; and my sighing is from thee not hidden.

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

My heart is restless, my strength hath left me; and the light of my eyes—that also is no more with me.

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

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

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

They also that seek after my life lay snares; and they that wish for my mishap speak wicked falsehoods; and deceits do they devise all the day long.

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

But I, as a deaf man, hear not; and I am as a dumb man that cannot open his mouth.

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

Thus am I as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no words of defence.

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

For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt answer, O Lord my God.

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

For I said, Perhaps they might rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they might magnify themselves over me.

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

For I am prepared for [my] downfall, and my pain is continually before me.

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

For I will tell of my iniquity; I will be grieved because of my sin.

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

But my enemies are strong in life; and numerous are those that hate me wrongfully;

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

They also that repay [me] evil in lieu of good; they hate me bitterly because I pursue what is good.

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

Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.

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

Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.