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 by David, for a memorial. LORD, don’t rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
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, your hand presses hard 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 flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health 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 gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour.
My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day.
I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
7 For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy.
For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart.
I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you.
Lord, all my 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 throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.
11 My lovers and my friends keep away from my disease; my relations keep far away.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
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.
They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits 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 I, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.
14 So I was like a man whose ears are shut, and in whose mouth there are no sharp words.
Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 In you, O Lord, is my hope: you will give me an answer, O Lord, my God.
For I hope in you, LORD. You will answer, 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, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over 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. My pain is continually before me.
18 I will make clear my wrongdoing, with sorrow in my heart for my sin.
For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.
19 But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers.
But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20 They give me back evil for good; they are my haters because I go after the thing which is right.
They who render evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
21 Do not give me up, O Lord; O my God, be near to me.
Don’t forsake me, LORD. My God, don’t be far from me.
22 Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation.
Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.
