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, for remembrance. O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.

2 For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.

For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on 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 soundness in my body because of Your anger; there is no rest in my bones because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.

5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.

My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly.

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

I am bent and brought low; all day long I go about mourning.

7 For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.

For my loins are full of burning pain, and no soundness remains in my body.

8 I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.

I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.

9 Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.

O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You.

10 My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

My heart pounds, my strength fails, and even the light of my eyes has faded.

11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.

My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance.

12 They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.

Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit 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 a deaf man, I do not hear; and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth.

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

I am like a man who cannot hear, whose mouth offers no reply.

15 For I hope in you, Yahweh. You will answer, Lord my God.

I wait for You, O LORD; You will answer, 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, “Let them not gloat over me— those who taunt me when my foot slips.”

17 For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.

For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me.

18 For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.

Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

19 But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.

Many are my enemies without cause, and many hate me without reason.

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

Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.

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

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

22 Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.

Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.