Psalms 38

1 A psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not punish me in your wrath.

O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2 For your arrows pierce me, and your hand presses me down.

For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

3 My whole body is sick because of your anger; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities overwhelm me; they are a burden too heavy for me.

For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds are infected and smell because of my foolish sins.

My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

6 I am stooped over and humiliated every day; I go about mourning all day long.

I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

7 For within me, I am filled with burning; there is no health in my flesh.

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

8 I am numb and utterly crushed; I groan because of the anguish of my heart.

I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

9 Lord, you understand my heart's deepest yearnings, and my groanings are not hidden from you.

Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

10 My heart pounds, my strength fades, and my eyesight dims.

My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

11 My friends and companions shun me because of my condition; my neighbors stand far off.

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

12 Those who seek my life lay snares for me. They who seek my harm speak destructive words and say deceitful words all day long.

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 But I, I am like a deaf man and hear nothing; I am like a mute man who says nothing.

But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

14 I am like a man who does not hear and who has no reply.

Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

15 Surely I wait for you, Yahweh; you will answer, Lord my God.

For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

16 I say this so that my enemies will not gloat over me. If my foot slips, they will do terrible things to me.

For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

17 For I am about to stumble, and I am in constant pain.

For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

18 I confess my guilt; I am concerned about my sin.

For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

19 But my enemies are numerous; those who hate me wrongfully are many.

But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

20 They repay me evil for good; they hurl accusations at me although I have pursued what is good.

They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

21 Do not abandon me, Yahweh; my God, do not stay far away from me.

Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.

22 Come quickly to help me, Lord, my salvation.

Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.