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. Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not punish me in your wrath.
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 your arrows pierce me, and your hand presses me down.
3 Because you have been angry with me, I am suffering great pain. Because of my sin, my whole body is diseased.
My whole body is sick because of your anger; there is no 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 my iniquities overwhelm me; they are a burden too heavy for me.
5 Because I have done foolish things, I have sores that have become worse, and they stink.
My wounds are infected and smell because of my foolish sins.
6 [Sometimes] I am bent over, and [sometimes] I lie prostrate; I am sad/cry all day.
I am stooped over and humiliated every day; I go about mourning all day long.
7 My body is burning with fever, and I am very ill.
For within me, I am filled with burning; there is no health in my flesh.
8 I am completely exhausted, and I have no strength. I am very distressed, and I groan with pain.
I am numb and utterly crushed; I groan because of the anguish of my heart.
9 Yahweh, you know that I desire [to be healed]; you hear me while I am groaning.
Lord, you understand my heart's deepest yearnings, and my groanings are not hidden from you.
10 My heat is pounding heavily, and all my strength is gone. I am no longer able to see well.
My heart pounds, my strength fades, and my eyesight dims.
11 My friends and neighbors stay away from me because of my sores; even my own family stays away from me.
My friends and companions shun me because of my condition; my neighbors stand far 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.
Those who seek my life lay snares for me. They who seek my harm speak destructive words and say deceitful words all 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, I am like a deaf man and hear nothing; I am like a mute man who says nothing.
14 I act like a man who does not answer [when people talk to him], because he cannot hear anything.
I am like a man who does not hear and who has no reply.
15 But Yahweh, I trust in you. My Lord God, you will answer me.
Surely I wait for you, Yahweh; you will answer, 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!”
I say this so that my enemies will not gloat over me. If my foot slips, they will do terrible things to me.
17 I say that because I am about to fall down, and I constantly have pain.
For I am about to stumble, and I am in constant pain.
18 I confess the wrong things that I have done; I am [very] sorry for the sins that I have committed.
I confess my guilt; I am concerned about my sin.
19 My enemies are healthy and strong; there are many people who hate me for no reason.
But my enemies are numerous; those who hate me wrongfully are many.
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 repay me evil for good; they hurl accusations at me although I have pursued what is good.
21 Yahweh, do not abandon me! My God, do not stay far from me!
Do not abandon me, Yahweh; my God, do not stay far away from me.
22 Lord, you are the one who saves/rescues me; Quickly [come and] help me!
Come quickly to help me, Lord, my salvation.
