Psalms 38
1 A Psalm of David, in commemoration of the Sabbath. O Lord, do not rebuke me in your fury, nor chastise 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 been driven into me, and your hand has been confirmed over me.
For your arrows have gone into my flesh, and I am crushed under the weight of your hand.
3 There is no health in my flesh before the face of your wrath. There is no peace for my bones before the face of my sins.
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 walked over my head, and they have been like a heavy burden weighing upon me.
For my crimes have gone over my head; they are like a great weight which is more than my strength.
5 My sores have putrefied and been corrupted before the face of my foolishness.
My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour.
6 I have become miserable, and I have been bent down, even to the end. I have walked with contrition all day long.
I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day.
7 For my loins have been filled with illusions, and there is no health in my flesh.
For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy.
8 I have been afflicted and greatly humbled. I bellowed from the groaning of my heart.
I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart.
9 O Lord, all my desire is before you, and my groaning before you has not been hidden.
Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you.
10 My heart has been disturbed. My strength has abandoned me, and the light of my eyes has abandoned me, and it is not with me.
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 friends and my neighbors have drawn near and stood against me. And those who were next to me stood far apart. And those who sought my soul used violence.
My lovers and my friends keep away from my disease; my relations keep far away.
12 And those who sought evil accusations against me were speaking emptiness. And they practiced deceitfulness 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 someone deaf, I did not hear. And I was like someone mute, not opening his mouth.
But I kept my ears shut like a man without hearing; like a man without a voice, never opening his mouth.
14 And I became like a man who does not hear, and who has no reproofs in his mouth.
So I was like a man whose ears are shut, and in whose mouth there are no sharp words.
15 For in you, Lord, I have hoped. You will listen to me, 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, “Lest at any time, my enemies might rejoice over me,” and, “While my feet are being shaken, they have spoken great things against me.”
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 have been prepared for scourges, and my sorrow is ever before me.
My feet are near to falling, and my sorrow is ever before me.
18 For I will announce my iniquity, and I will think about my sin.
I will make clear my wrongdoing, with sorrow in my heart for my sin.
19 But my enemies live, and they have been stronger than me. And those who have wrongfully hated me have been multiplied.
But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers.
20 Those who render evil for good have dragged me down, because I followed goodness.
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 my God. Do not depart from me.
Do not give me up, O Lord; O my God, be near to me.
22 Be attentive to my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.
Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation.
