Psalms 38
1 [A Psalm by David, for a memorial.] LORD, do not rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
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 pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.
For your arrows have gone into my flesh, and I am crushed under the weight of your hand.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
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 gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
For my crimes have gone over my head; they are like a great weight which is more than my strength.
5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, because of my foolishness.
My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour.
6 I am pained and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day.
7 For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.
For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy.
8 I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you.
10 My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left 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 loved ones and my friends keep their distance because of my affliction. My kinsmen stand far away.
My lovers and my friends keep away from my disease; my relations keep far away.
12 They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits 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 I, as a deaf man, do not hear. I am as a mute man who doesn't open his mouth.
But I kept my ears shut like a man without hearing; like a man without a voice, never opening his mouth.
14 Yes, I am as a man who doesn't hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.
So I was like a man whose ears are shut, and in whose mouth there are no sharp words.
15 For in you, LORD, do I hope. You will answer, LORD my God.
In you, O Lord, is my hope: you will give me an answer, O Lord, my God.
16 For I said, "Do not let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."
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 am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.
My feet are near to falling, and my sorrow is ever before me.
18 Yes, I confess my iniquity. I am anxious because of my sin.
I will make clear my wrongdoing, with sorrow in my heart for my sin.
19 But my enemies, for no reason, are many. Those who hate me wrongfully are numerous.
But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers.
20 They who also render evil for good are adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
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, LORD. My God, do not be far from me.
Do not give me up, O Lord; O my God, be near to me.
22 Hurry to help me, LORD, my salvation.
Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation.
