Psalms 38

1 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.