New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Psalm 38
1
A psalm of David. A prayer. Lord, don't correct me when you are angry. Don't punish me when you are burning with anger.
2
You have wounded me with your arrows. You have struck me with your hand.
3
Because of your anger, my whole body is sick. Because of my sin, I'm not healthy.
4
My guilt has become too much for me. It is a load too heavy to carry.
5
My wounds are ugly. They stink. I've been foolish. I have sinned.
6
I am bent over. I've been brought very low. All day long I go around sobbing.
7
My back is filled with burning pain. My whole body is sick.
8
I am weak. I feel as if I've been broken in pieces. I groan because of the great pain in my heart.
9
Lord, everything I really want is clearly known to you. You always hear me when I sigh.
10
My heart pounds. My strength is gone. My eyes can hardly see.
11
My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds. My neighbors stay far away from me.
12
Those who are trying to kill me set their traps. Those who want to harm me talk about destroying me. All day long they plan ways to trick me.
13
I'm like a deaf person. I can't hear. I'm like someone who can't speak, who can't say a word.
14
I'm like a man who doesn't hear. I'm like someone whose mouth can't make any reply.
15
Lord, I wait for you to help me. Lord my God, I know you will answer.
16
I said, "Don't let my enemies have the joy of seeing me fall. Don't let them brag when my foot slips."
17
I am about to fall. My pain never leaves me.
18
I admit that I have done wrong. I am troubled by my sin.
19
I have many powerful enemies. They are strong and healthy. They hate me without any reason.
20
They pay me back with evil, even though I was good to them. They tell lies about me because I try to do what is good.
21
Lord, don't desert me. My God, don't be far away from me.
22
Lord my Savior, come quickly to help me.
Summary of Psalm 38
Psalm 38 is a deeply personal prayer of suffering, repentance, loneliness, physical weakness, and urgent dependence upon God, presenting David in a condition where physical pain, emotional exhaustion, awareness of wrongdoing, social isolation, and opposition from enemies have become closely connected. Traditionally associated with David and the 10th century BC, the psalm belongs to the tradition of penitential prayers in which the sufferer does not hide his weakness or attempt to present himself as spiritually or emotionally strong, but instead brings the full reality of his condition before God.
The opening section presents David as someone who believes his suffering is connected with divine discipline. He describes God's arrows striking him and God's hand pressing heavily upon him, using intense physical imagery to express how overwhelming his situation feels. His guilt is described as a burden that is too heavy to carry, while his wounds and physical weakness make his inner distress visible through his body.
David's condition affects nearly every part of his life. He describes himself as bent down, exhausted, weak, crushed, and unable to find peace, while his heart, strength, and eyesight appear to be failing. The language communicates more than ordinary discomfort because his suffering has become an experience that dominates his thoughts, body, relationships, and daily existence.
One particularly important theme is loneliness. Friends and companions stand at a distance, while relatives remain separated from him, leaving David without the normal human support that might have helped him endure such a difficult period. At the same time, enemies use his vulnerability as an opportunity to create further trouble, meaning that his physical weakness increases both his emotional isolation and his exposure to hostile people.
David responds to his enemies with silence rather than retaliation. He compares himself to someone who cannot hear and cannot answer, emphasizing that he does not attempt to win every argument or defend himself through his own strength. Instead, he waits for God because he believes God understands the situation and will eventually respond.
The psalm then reaches an important point of confession. David openly acknowledges his wrongdoing and expresses sorrow over his sin, showing that his prayer is not simply an accusation against God or a complaint about enemies. He is willing to examine his own actions and accept responsibility while still asking God for mercy and help.
Yet confession does not immediately remove his suffering. His enemies remain numerous, his pain continues, and he fears collapse. This makes the prayer especially realistic because repentance is not presented as a guarantee that every difficult circumstance will disappear immediately.
The final verses return to David's deepest need: God's presence. His most urgent request is that God not abandon him but come quickly to help him.
The traditional 10th-century BC Davidic setting fits the personal conflict, illness, enemies, and penitential character of the prayer, while similar practices of lament, confession, fasting, and appeals for divine mercy continued throughout the 10th–5th centuries BC.
The opening section presents David as someone who believes his suffering is connected with divine discipline. He describes God's arrows striking him and God's hand pressing heavily upon him, using intense physical imagery to express how overwhelming his situation feels. His guilt is described as a burden that is too heavy to carry, while his wounds and physical weakness make his inner distress visible through his body.
David's condition affects nearly every part of his life. He describes himself as bent down, exhausted, weak, crushed, and unable to find peace, while his heart, strength, and eyesight appear to be failing. The language communicates more than ordinary discomfort because his suffering has become an experience that dominates his thoughts, body, relationships, and daily existence.
One particularly important theme is loneliness. Friends and companions stand at a distance, while relatives remain separated from him, leaving David without the normal human support that might have helped him endure such a difficult period. At the same time, enemies use his vulnerability as an opportunity to create further trouble, meaning that his physical weakness increases both his emotional isolation and his exposure to hostile people.
David responds to his enemies with silence rather than retaliation. He compares himself to someone who cannot hear and cannot answer, emphasizing that he does not attempt to win every argument or defend himself through his own strength. Instead, he waits for God because he believes God understands the situation and will eventually respond.
The psalm then reaches an important point of confession. David openly acknowledges his wrongdoing and expresses sorrow over his sin, showing that his prayer is not simply an accusation against God or a complaint about enemies. He is willing to examine his own actions and accept responsibility while still asking God for mercy and help.
Yet confession does not immediately remove his suffering. His enemies remain numerous, his pain continues, and he fears collapse. This makes the prayer especially realistic because repentance is not presented as a guarantee that every difficult circumstance will disappear immediately.
The final verses return to David's deepest need: God's presence. His most urgent request is that God not abandon him but come quickly to help him.
The traditional 10th-century BC Davidic setting fits the personal conflict, illness, enemies, and penitential character of the prayer, while similar practices of lament, confession, fasting, and appeals for divine mercy continued throughout the 10th–5th centuries BC.