Psalms 38

1 A Psalm of David. A lament. Reprove me not, Lord, in your anger, and chasten me not in your wrath;

O lord, rebuke me not in your wrath: neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.

2 for your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand lies heavy upon me.

For your arrows stick fast in me, and your hand presses me sore.

3 In my flesh is no soundness because of your anger, no health in my bones, because of my sin.

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

4 For that my guilt is gone over my head: it weighs like 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 stink and fester, for my foolishness I am tormented.

My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

6 Bent and bowed am I utterly, all the day going in mourning.

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

7 My loins are filled with burning, and in my flesh is no soundness.

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

8 I am utterly crushed and numb; I cry louder than lion roars.

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

9 Lord, you know all that I long for, my groans are not hidden from you.

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

10 My heart is throbbing, my strength has failed me. The light of my eyes – even it is gone from me.

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

11 My dear ones and friends keep aloof, and my neighbours stand afar off.

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

12 They who aim at my life lay their snares, they who seek my hurt speak of ruin, nursing treachery all the 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 turn a deaf ear and hear not; like the dumb I open not my mouth.

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

14 I am like one without hearing, with no arguments in my mouth.

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

15 For my hope, O Lord, is in you. You will answer, O Lord my God,

For in you, O LORD, do I hope: you will hear, O Lord my God.

16 when I utter the hope that those who made scorn of my tottering feet may not rejoice over me.

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

17 For I am ready to fall, my pain forsakes me never.

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

18 I acknowledge my guilt, I am anxious because of my sin:

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

19 My wanton assailants are strong, those who wrongfully hate me are many,

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

20 who render me evil for good, and oppose me, because I make good my goal.

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

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord; my God, be not far from me.

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

22 Hasten to help me, O Lord my saviour.

Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.