Psalms 38

General context

The speaker asks the Lord not to rebuke him in wrath or chasten him in hot displeasure, for God's arrows stick fast in him and his hand presses him sore. There is no soundness in his flesh because of God's anger and no rest in his bones because of his sin; his iniquities have gone over his head, a burden too heavy for him. His wounds stink and are corrupt because of his foolishness; he is troubled and bowed down and goes mourning all day; his loins are filled with a loathsome disease; he is feeble and sore broken and has roared from the disquiet of his heart. His desire is before the Lord and his groaning not hidden; his heart pants, his strength fails, and the light of his eyes is gone. His lovers and friends stand aloof from his sore and his kinsmen stand afar off, while those who seek his life lay snares and those who seek his hurt speak mischief and imagine deceits all day. But he was as a deaf man who did not hear and a dumb man who does not open his mouth, with no reproofs. For he hopes in the Lord, who will hear; he said, Hear me, lest they rejoice over me and magnify themselves when my foot slips. He is ready to halt, his sorrow continually before him; he will declare his iniquity and be sorry for his sin. But his enemies are lively and strong, those who hate him wrongfully are multiplied, and those who render evil for good are his adversaries because he follows what is good. He closes: forsake me not, O Lord; be not far from me; make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

Cited passages: Psalms 38:1, Psalms 38:2, Psalms 38:3, Psalms 38:4, Psalms 38:5, Psalms 38:6, Psalms 38:7, Psalms 38:8, Psalms 38:9, Psalms 38:10, Psalms 38:11, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 38:13, Psalms 38:14, Psalms 38:15, Psalms 38:16, Psalms 38:17, Psalms 38:18, Psalms 38:19, Psalms 38:20, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 38:22

Psalms 38 (KJV)

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Historical context

The text as printed carries no heading, so no author, occasion or instrument is stated in this source. The speaker is a single "I" addressing the Lord throughout. His sickness is described in the body, no soundness in the flesh, wounds, a loathsome disease in the loins, failing strength and eyes, and he attributes it both to God's anger and to his own sin and foolishness; the text names no disease and no particular sin. Three parties surround him: God, whose arrows and hand press him; lovers, friends and kinsmen who stand aloof; and enemies who lay snares and hate him wrongfully. None is named. He says in verse 20 that he follows what is good and in verse 18 that he will declare his iniquity, and both are his own statements. The opening line closely matches Psalm 6:1, "O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure". There is no Selah, no answer is reported, and the psalm ends on petition.

Cited passages: Psalms 38:3, Psalms 38:7, Psalms 38:5, Psalms 38:2, Psalms 38:11, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 38:19, Psalms 38:20, Psalms 38:18, Psalms 38:1, Psalms 6:1, Psalms 38:22

Literary context

Petition stands at both ends (verses 1 and 21-22), and between them the body comes apart in order: flesh, bones, head, wounds, loins, heart, strength, eyes. A chain of clauses beginning "For" gives the grounds at each step, "For thine arrows", "For mine iniquities", "For my loins", "For in thee", "For I said", "For I am ready", "For I will declare". The poem measures distance: God's hand presses close, friends stand aloof and kinsmen afar off, enemies come near with snares, and the closing "be not far from me" asks God to close the gap the friends opened. The speaker makes himself deaf and dumb while the enemies speak all day, and his only speech is to God, who "wilt hear". Three turns on "But" mark the shape: "But I" (13), the hope of verse 15, "But mine enemies" (19). "Make haste" is the one word of speed in a poem of "all the day long" and "continually".

Cited passages: Psalms 38:1, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 38:2, Psalms 38:4, Psalms 38:15, Psalms 38:18, Psalms 38:10, Psalms 38:11, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 38:13, Psalms 38:19, Psalms 38:17, Psalms 38:22, Psalms 38:6

Key moments

1. Arrows stick fast (Psalms 38:2). God's arrows stick fast in the speaker and his hand presses him.
2. Iniquities over the head (Psalms 38:4). His iniquities have gone over his head like a burden too heavy.
3. A loathsome disease (Psalms 38:7). His loins are filled with a loathsome disease and his flesh has no soundness.
4. Friends stand aloof (Psalms 38:11). His lovers, friends and kinsmen stand away from his sore.
5. As a deaf man (Psalms 38:13). He does not hear or answer, like a deaf and dumb man.
6. I will declare mine iniquity (Psalms 38:18). He will declare his iniquity and be sorry for his sin.
7. Make haste to help me (Psalms 38:22). He closes by asking the Lord his salvation to make haste to help him.

For reflection

The speaker says his groaning is not hidden from the Lord while his friends stand aloof from his sore; what does the psalm treat as the difference between being seen by God and being avoided by people?

People in this chapter

• David