Psalm 38

Psalm 38

A psalm of David, asking God to remember him.

¹O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your rage!

²Your arrows have struck deep,

and your blows are crushing me.

³Because of your anger, my whole body is sick;

my health is broken because of my sins.

⁴My guilt overwhelms me—

it is a burden too heavy to bear.

⁵My wounds fester and stink

because of my foolish sins.

⁶I am bent over and racked with pain.

All day long I walk around filled with grief.

⁷A raging fever burns within me,

and my health is broken.

⁸I am exhausted and completely crushed.

My groans come from an anguished heart.

⁹You know what I long for, Lord;

you hear my every sigh.

¹⁰My heart beats wildly, my strength fails,

and I am going blind.

¹¹My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease.

Even my own family stands at a distance.

¹²Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me.

Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me.

All day long they plan their treachery.

¹³But I am deaf to all their threats.

I am silent before them as one who cannot speak.

¹⁴I choose to hear nothing,

and I make no reply.

¹⁵For I am waiting for you, O Lord.

You must answer for me, O Lord my God.

¹⁶I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies gloat over me

or rejoice at my downfall.”

¹⁷I am on the verge of collapse,

facing constant pain.

¹⁸But I confess my sins;

I am deeply sorry for what I have done.

¹⁹I have many aggressive enemies;

they hate me without reason.

²⁰They repay me evil for good

and oppose me for pursuing good.

²¹Do not abandon me, O Lord.

Do not stand at a distance, my God.

²²Come quickly to help me,

O Lord my savior.