Psalms 38
1 Yahweh, when you are angry [with me], do not rebuke/scold me and punish me!
A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 [Now it is as though] you have shot your arrows at me and wounded me; you have struck me and knocked me down.
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 Because you have been angry with me, I am suffering great pain. Because of my sin, my whole body is diseased.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine indignation; neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
4 All my sins are [like a flood] that covers my head; they are like a load that is very heavy, with the result that I cannot carry it.
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 Because I have done foolish things, I have sores that have become worse, and they stink.
My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness.
6 [Sometimes] I am bent over, and [sometimes] I lie prostrate; I am sad/cry all day.
I am pained and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
7 My body is burning with fever, and I am very ill.
For my loins are filled with burning; and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am completely exhausted, and I have no strength. I am very distressed, and I groan with pain.
I am faint and sore bruised: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
9 Yahweh, you know that I desire [to be healed]; you hear me while I am groaning.
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heat is pounding heavily, and all my strength is gone. I am no longer able to see well.
My heart throbbeth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
11 My friends and neighbors stay away from me because of my sores; even my own family stays away from me.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12 And those who want to kill me set traps to catch me; those who want to harm me discuss ways to get rid of me; they plot against me all day.
They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me]; and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
13 Now I act like I’m deaf, and do not listen [to what they say]. I act like I cannot talk, so I say nothing [to reply to them].
But I, as a deaf man, hear not; and I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
14 I act like a man who does not answer [when people talk to him], because he cannot hear anything.
Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 But Yahweh, I trust in you. My Lord God, you will answer me.
For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt answer, O Lord my God.
16 I said to you, “Do not cause [me to die, with the result that] my enemies will rejoice! Do not cause me to stumble, with the result that they will be very happy!”
For I said, Lest they rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
17 I say that because I am about to fall down, and I constantly have pain.
For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
18 I confess the wrong things that I have done; I am [very] sorry for the sins that I have committed.
For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
19 My enemies are healthy and strong; there are many people who hate me for no reason.
But mine enemies are lively, [and] are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
20 Those who do evil things to me in return for my doing good things to them oppose me because I try to do what is right.
They also that render evil for good are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.
21 Yahweh, do not abandon me! My God, do not stay far from me!
Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.
22 Lord, you are the one who saves/rescues me; Quickly [come and] help me!
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
