Psalms 38
1 A PSALM OF DAVID. “TO CAUSE TO REMEMBER.” YHWH, do not reprove me in Your wrath, Nor discipline me in Your fury.
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 come down on me, And You let down Your hand on me.
For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.
3 Soundness is not in my flesh, Because of Your indignation, Peace is not 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 iniquities have passed over my head, As a heavy burden—too heavy for me.
For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.
5 Stunk—my wounds have become corrupt, Because of my folly.
My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly.
6 I have been bent down, I have been bowed down—to excess, I have gone mourning all the day.
I am bent and brought low; all day long I go about mourning.
7 For my flanks have been full of drought, And soundness is not in my flesh.
For my loins are full of burning pain, and no soundness remains in my body.
8 I have been feeble and struck—to excess, I have roared from disquietude of heart.
I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.
9 Lord, all my desire [is] before You, And my sighing has not been hid from You.
O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You.
10 My heart [is] panting, my power has forsaken me, And the light of my eyes, Even they are not with me.
My heart pounds, my strength fails, and even the light of my eyes has faded.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from before my plague. And my neighbors have stood far off.
My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance.
12 And those seeking my soul lay a snare, And those seeking my evil Have spoken mischievous things, And they meditate [on] deceits all the day.
Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
13 And I, as deaf, do not hear. And as a mute one who does not open his mouth.
But like a deaf man, I do not hear; and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth.
14 Indeed, I am as a man who does not hear, And in his mouth are no reproofs.
I am like a man who cannot hear, whose mouth offers no reply.
15 Because for You, O YHWH, I have waited, You answer, O Lord my God.
I wait for You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God.
16 When I said, “Lest they rejoice over me, In the slipping of my foot they magnified themselves against me.”
For I said, “Let them not gloat over me— those who taunt me when my foot slips.”
17 For I am ready to halt, And my pain [is] continually before me.
For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
18 For I declare my iniquity, I am sorry for my sin.
Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
19 And my enemies [are] lively, They have been strong, and those hating me without cause, Have been multiplied.
Many are my enemies without cause, and many hate me without reason.
20 And those paying evil for good accuse me, Because of my pursuing good.
Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.
21 Do not forsake me, O YHWH, My God, do not be far from me,
Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God.
22 Hurry to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.
