THE *BOOK OF
PSALMS.
Psalm 38 ©
David, being heavily visited with sickness or some other great calamity, relates and bemoans his woeful condition caused by his sins; prays with great anguish unto God for forgiveness, favor and help, laying before Him the unfaithfulness of his friends and cruelty of his enemies.
A Psalm of David, to 1bring to remembrance.
Oa LORD, 2rebuke me not in thy 3wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
For thine 4arrows 5stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any 6rest in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities 7are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my 8foolishness.
I am 9troubled; I am bowed down greatly; Ib go 10mourning all the day long.
For my loins are filled with a 11loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and sore broken: I have 12roared by reason of the 13disquietness of my heart.
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart 14panteth, my 15strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, 16it also is gone from me.
My lovers and my friends stand 17aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
18They also that seek after 19my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak 20mischievous 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 21reproofs.
For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
For I 22said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they 23magnify themselves against me.
24For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
Forc I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
But mine enemies are 25lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are 26multiplied.
They also that render evil for good are mine 27adversaries; 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.