Psalms 38

1 Yahweh, when you are angry [with me], do not rebuke/scold me and punish me!

A Psalm by David, for a memorial. LORD, don’t rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your 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 your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.

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 your 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 my iniquities have gone over my head. As a 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 are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.

6 [Sometimes] I am bent over, and [sometimes] I lie prostrate; I am sad/cry all day.

I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.

7 My body is burning with fever, and I am very ill.

For my waist is filled with burning. 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 severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish 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 you. My groaning is 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 throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left 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. My kinsmen stand far away.

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 who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits 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, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.

14 I act like a man who does not answer [when people talk to him], because he cannot hear anything.

Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.

15 But Yahweh, I trust in you. My Lord God, you will answer me.

For I hope in you, LORD. 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!”

For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”

17 I say that because I am about to fall down, and I constantly have pain.

For I am ready to fall. My pain 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 my 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 my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.

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 who render evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.

21 Yahweh, do not abandon me! My God, do not stay far from me!

Don’t forsake me, LORD. My God, don’t be far from me.

22 Lord, you are the one who saves/rescues me; Quickly [come and] help me!

Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.