Psalms
Psalm 38
KJV
O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
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.
But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
Overview
Psalm 38 is a penitential lament in which bodily pain, guilt, social isolation, hostile pressure, and prayer are held together without reducing every illness to punishment for a specific sin. The speaker does not hide wrongdoing, yet neither does he turn confession into self-destruction: he brings his whole distress before the LORD. The middle of the psalm portrays friends standing far away and enemies setting traps while the sufferer refuses retaliatory speech. The ending moves toward hope, confession, and an urgent plea that God not forsake him but come quickly to help.
Setting and context
The superscription calls Psalm 38 a psalm of David “to bring to remembrance,” but no datable historical episode is given. Verses 1–8 combine a plea against overwhelming discipline with vivid bodily and emotional distress; 9–14 place longing before God while friends withdraw and enemies scheme, and the speaker answers with restraint; 15–20 renew hope in the LORD, acknowledge sin, and describe powerful enemies; 21–22 close with a direct appeal against abandonment and delay. Because the poem places guilt and bodily suffering side by side, the commentary preserves that literary connection without teaching that illness, disability, pain, or trauma normally proves a particular personal sin.
Themes
Penitential prayer without toxic shame · Bodily suffering without simplistic blame · Isolation and hostile pressure · Restraint instead of retaliation · Confession joined to hope · Urgent dependence on God
Reflection
Psalm 38 is a penitential lament in which bodily pain, guilt, social isolation, hostile pressure, and prayer are held together without reducing every illness to punishment for a specific sin. The speaker does not hide wrongdoing, yet neither does he turn confession into self-destruction: he brings his whole distress before the LORD. The middle of the psalm portrays friends standing far away and enemies setting traps while the sufferer refuses retaliatory speech. The ending moves toward hope, confession, and an urgent plea that God not forsake him but come quickly to help.
Reading notes
Do not rebuke me in overwhelming wrath; the prayer asks for mercy within discipline rather than claiming that every suffering event is direct punishment for a specific sin. The psalmist connects lack of bodily soundness with perceived divine indignation and personal sin inside this lament. Iniquities feel higher than the head and like a burden too heavy to carry, portraying guilt as overwhelming. Burning pain and lack of bodily soundness continue the poem’s severe physical imagery. The heart pounds, strength fails, and even the light of the eyes seems gone, conveying profound weakness. Friends and companions stand far from the affliction, and relatives keep their distance, adding social abandonment to physical pain. The speaker becomes like one who does not hear and offers no verbal response to provocation. The speaker is like one unable to answer, choosing non-retaliatory silence under accusation. Hope is placed in the LORD with confidence that God will answer; waiting remains relational trust amid unresolved pain. The psalmist openly declares iniquity and is troubled by sin, making confession part of the turn toward God. Enemies remain lively and strong, and those hating without cause multiply, showing that moral innocence in a conflict does not guarantee immediate relief. Do not forsake me, O LORD; do not remain far away: the prayer voices perceived distance while still addressing God. Make haste to help me, Lord of my salvation; the psalm ends not in self-reliance but in urgent dependence on God.
Key passages
Psalm 38:1: Do not rebuke me in overwhelming wrath; the prayer asks for mercy within discipline rather than claiming that every suffering event is direct punishment for a specific sin. Do not rebuke me in overwhelming wrath; the prayer asks for mercy within discipline rather than claiming that every suffering event is direct punishment for a specific sin. Psalm 38:4: Iniquities feel higher than the head and like a burden too heavy to carry, portraying guilt as overwhelming. Iniquities feel higher than the head and like a burden too heavy to carry, portraying guilt as overwhelming. Psalm 38:9: All desire and groaning lie open before the Lord; the prayer assumes that unpolished distress can be brought honestly to God. All desire and groaning lie open before the Lord; the prayer assumes that unpolished distress can be brought honestly to God. Psalm 38:15: Hope is placed in the LORD with confidence that God will answer; waiting remains relational trust amid unresolved pain. Hope is placed in the LORD with confidence that God will answer; waiting remains relational trust amid unresolved pain. Psalm 38:18: The psalmist openly declares iniquity and is troubled by sin, making confession part of the turn toward God. The psalmist openly declares iniquity and is troubled by sin, making confession part of the turn toward God. Psalm 38:21: Do not forsake me, O LORD; do not remain far away: the prayer voices perceived distance while still addressing God. Do not forsake me, O LORD; do not remain far away: the prayer voices perceived distance while still addressing God. Psalm 38:22: Make haste to help me, Lord of my salvation; the psalm ends not in self-reliance but in urgent dependence on God. Make haste to help me, Lord of my salvation; the psalm ends not in self-reliance but in urgent dependence on God.
Questions readers ask
Does Psalm 38 teach that sickness is always caused by personal sin? No. This lament links the speaker’s guilt and suffering, but it does not establish a universal rule for every illness, disability, trauma, or pain. Why does the speaker remain silent before enemies? The silence in verses 13–14 is non-retaliatory restraint, not a ban on reporting abuse, giving evidence, seeking legal help, or correcting falsehood. What is the final movement of Psalm 38? The psalm ends with confession, hope, and an urgent plea that the LORD not remain far away but hurry to help.