Psalm 38
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 38
A Penitent Sufferer’s Plea for Healing
A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.
5 My wounds grow foul and fester
because of my foolishness;
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all day long I go around mourning.
7 For my loins are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am utterly spent and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.
9 O Lord, all my longing is known to you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
and my neighbors stand far off.
12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin,
and meditate treachery all day long.
13 But I am like the deaf, I do not hear;
like the mute, who cannot speak.
14 Truly, I am like one who does not hear,
and in whose mouth is no retort.
15 But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I pray, “Only do not let them rejoice over me,
those who boast against me when my foot slips.”
17 For I am ready to fall,
and my pain is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
I am sorry for my sin.
19 Those who are my foes without cause[a] are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
are my adversaries because I follow after good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me;
22 make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation.
Footnotes
- Psalm 38:19 Q Ms: MT my living foes
Psalm 38
Contemporary English Version
(A psalm by David to be used when an offering is made.)
A Prayer in Times of Trouble
1 When you are angry, Lord,
please don't punish me
or even correct me.
2 You shot me with your arrows,
and you struck me
with your hand.
3 My body hurts all over
because of your anger.
Even my bones are in pain,
and my sins 4 are so heavy
that I am crushed.
5 Because of my foolishness,
I am covered with sores
that stink and spread.
6 My body is twisted and bent,
and I groan all day long.
7 Fever has my back in flames,
and I hurt everywhere.
8 I am worn out and weak,
moaning and in distress.
9 You, Lord, know every one
of my deepest desires,
and my noisy groans
are no secret to you.
10 My heart is beating fast.
I feel weak all over,
and my eyes are red.
11 Because of my sickness,
no friends or neighbors
will come near me.
12 All who want me dead
set traps to catch me,
and those who want
to harm and destroy me
plan and plot all day.
13 I am not able to hear
or speak a word;
14 I am completely deaf
and can't make a sound.
15 I trust you, Lord God,
and you will do something.
16 I said, “Don't let them laugh
or brag when I slip and fall.”
17 I am about to collapse
from constant pain.
18 I told you my sins,
and I am sorry for them.
19 Many deadly and powerful
enemies hate me,
20 and they repay evil for good
because I try to do right.
21 You are the Lord God!
Stay nearby
and don't desert me.
22 You are the one who saves me.
Please hurry and help.
Psalm 38
Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 38
A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.
1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath:
neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me,
and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 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 mine iniquities are gone over mine head:
as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and are corrupt
because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease:
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and sore broken:
I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before thee;
and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me:
as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore;
and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12 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, as a deaf man, heard not;
and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not,
and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, do I hope:
thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
16 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 ready to halt,
and my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will declare mine iniquity;
I will be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong:
and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries;
because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord:
O my God, be not far from me.
22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
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