< Psalms 38 >
1 A Psalm by David, for a memorial. Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
A Psalm of David, in commemoration of the Sabbath. O Lord, do not rebuke me in your fury, nor chastise me in your wrath.
2 For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.
For your arrows have been driven into me, and your hand has been confirmed over me.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
There is no health in my flesh before the face of your wrath. There is no peace for my bones before the face of my sins.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
For my iniquities have walked over my head, and they have been like a heavy burden weighing upon me.
5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.
My sores have putrefied and been corrupted before the face of my foolishness.
6 I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
I have become miserable, and I have been bent down, even to the end. I have walked with contrition all day long.
7 For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.
For my loins have been filled with illusions, and there is no health in my flesh.
8 I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
I have been afflicted and greatly humbled. I bellowed from the groaning of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
O Lord, all my desire is before you, and my groaning before you has not been hidden.
10 My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.
My heart has been disturbed. My strength has abandoned me, and the light of my eyes has abandoned me, and it is not with me.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
My friends and my neighbors have drawn near and stood against me. And those who were next to me stood far apart. And those who sought my soul used violence.
12 They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.
And those who sought evil accusations against me were speaking emptiness. And they practiced deceitfulness all day long.
13 But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.
But, like someone deaf, I did not hear. And I was like someone mute, not opening his mouth.
14 Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.
And I became like a man who does not hear, and who has no reproofs in his mouth.
15 For I hope in you, Yahweh. You will answer, Lord my God.
For in you, Lord, I have hoped. You will listen to me, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”
For I said, “Lest at any time, my enemies might rejoice over me,” and, “While my feet are being shaken, they have spoken great things against me.”
17 For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.
For I have been prepared for scourges, and my sorrow is ever before me.
18 For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.
For I will announce my iniquity, and I will think about my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
But my enemies live, and they have been stronger than me. And those who have wrongfully hated me have been multiplied.
20 They who render evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
Those who render evil for good have dragged me down, because I followed goodness.
21 Don’t forsake me, Yahweh. My God, don’t be far from me.
Do not forsake me, O Lord my God. Do not depart from me.
22 Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.
Be attentive to my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.