Psalm 38

A Prayer in Time of Sickness

A psalm of David to remember.

38Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.

Don’t punish me when you are furious.

²Your arrows have wounded me,

and your hand has come down on me.

³My body is sick from your punishment.

Even my bones are not healthy because of my sin.

⁴My guilt has overwhelmed me;

like a load it weighs me down.

⁵My sores stink and become infected

because I was foolish.

⁶I am bent over and bowed down;

I am sad all day long.

⁷I am burning with fever,

and my whole body is sore.

⁸I am weak and faint.

I moan from the pain I feel.

⁹Lord, you know everything I want;

my cries are not hidden from you.

¹⁰My heart pounds, and my strength is gone.

I am losing my sight.

¹¹Because of my wounds, my friends and neighbors avoid me,

and my relatives stay far away.

¹²Some people set traps to kill me.

Those who want to hurt me plan trouble;

all day long they think up lies.

¹³I am like the deaf; I cannot hear.

Like the mute, I cannot speak.

¹⁴I am like those who do not hear,

who have no answer to give.

¹⁵I trust you, Lord.

You will answer, my Lord and God.

¹⁶I said, “Don’t let them laugh at me

or brag when I am defeated.”

¹⁷I am about to die,

and I cannot forget my pain.

¹⁸I confess my guilt;

I am troubled by my sin.

¹⁹My enemies are strong and healthy,

and many hate me for no reason.

²⁰They repay me with evil for the good I did.

They lie about me because I try to do good.

²¹Lord, don’t leave me;

my God, don’t go away.

²²Quickly come and help me,

my Lord and Savior.