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Psalms · Bible in Basic English

Psalm 38 Bible in Basic English

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About BBE
  • Scholarly edition
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew (not verified)
  • NT: Critical text (not verified)
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Simplified language
  • 1965
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

Notes on this text (1)

1 A Psalm. Of David. To keep in memory. O Lord, be not bitter with me in your wrath; let not your hand be on me in the heat of your passion. 2 For your arrows have gone into my flesh, and I am crushed under the weight of your hand. 3 My flesh is wasted because of your wrath; and there is no peace in my bones because of my sin. 4 For my crimes have gone over my head; they are like a great weight which is more than my strength. 5 My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour. 6 I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day. 7 For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy. 8 I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart. 9 Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you. 10 My heart goes out in pain, my strength is wasting away; as for the light of my eyes, it is gone from me. 11 My lovers and my friends keep away from my disease; my relations keep far away. 12 Those who have a desire to take my life put nets for me; those who are designing my destruction say evil things against me, all the day their minds are full of deceit. 13 But I kept my ears shut like a man without hearing; like a man without a voice, never opening his mouth. 14 So I was like a man whose ears are shut, and in whose mouth there are no sharp words. 15 In you, O Lord, is my hope: you will give me an answer, O Lord, my God. 16 I said, Let them not be glad over me; when my foot is moved, let them not be lifted up with pride against me. 17 My feet are near to falling, and my sorrow is ever before me. 18 I will make clear my wrongdoing, with sorrow in my heart for my sin. 19 But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers. 20 They give me back evil for good; they are my haters because I go after the thing which is right. 21 Do not give me up, O Lord; O my God, be near to me. 22 Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation.

Cross references (22)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Isaiah 54:8; Hebrews 12:5–11; Psalm 6:1; Psalm 70:1; Jeremiah 30:11
  2. 2 Job 6:4; Psalm 32:4; 1 Samuel 5:6; Deuteronomy 2:15; Lamentations 3:12
  3. 3 Psalm 6:2; Psalm 51:8; Psalm 31:9–10; Isaiah 1:5–6; Lamentations 3:40–42
  4. 4 Psalm 40:12; Ezra 9:6; Matthew 11:28; Lamentations 1:14; 1 Peter 2:24
  5. 5 Isaiah 1:5–6; Psalm 69:5; Jeremiah 8:22; Psalm 32:3; Psalm 38:7
  6. 6 Job 30:28; Psalm 35:14; Psalm 42:9; Psalm 31:10; Psalm 42:5
  7. 7 Psalm 102:3; 2 Chronicles 21:18–19; Acts 12:23; Psalm 41:8; Job 30:18
  8. 8 Job 3:24; Psalm 32:3; Job 30:28; Isaiah 59:11; Psalm 22:1–2
  9. 9 Psalm 10:17; Psalm 6:6; 2 Corinthians 5:2; Romans 8:26–27; John 1:48
  10. 10 Psalm 6:7; Psalm 88:9; Psalm 69:3; Psalm 119:123; Lamentations 5:16–17
  11. 11 Psalm 31:11; Luke 23:49; Job 19:13–17; John 16:32; Psalm 88:18
  12. 12 Psalm 35:20; 2 Samuel 17:1–3; Psalm 140:5; Psalm 54:3; Psalm 141:9
  13. 13 Isaiah 53:7; Psalm 39:9; Psalm 39:2; 1 Peter 2:23; 2 Samuel 16:10–12
  14. 14 Amos 5:13; John 8:6; Mark 15:3–5; Micah 7:5
  15. 15 Psalm 39:7; Psalm 17:6; Psalm 138:3; Psalm 123:1–3
  16. 16 Psalm 94:18; Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 35:24–26; Psalm 13:3–4
  17. 17 Psalm 35:15; Psalm 6:6; Psalm 38:6; Micah 4:6–7; Psalm 77:2–3
  18. 18 Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; Job 33:27; Psalm 51:3; 2 Corinthians 7:7–11
  19. 19 John 15:18–25; Psalm 35:19; Matthew 10:22; Psalm 69:4; Psalm 56:1–2
  20. 20 Psalm 35:12; Jeremiah 18:20; 1 John 3:12; John 10:32; 1 Peter 4:14–16
  21. 21 Psalm 22:19; Psalm 22:24; Psalm 22:11; Psalm 35:21–22; Psalm 22:1
  22. 22 Psalm 40:13; Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 12:2; Psalm 141:1; Psalm 71:12

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm XXXVII)

    With terror do they hear of the coming of the last day, who will not be secure by living well: and who fain would live ill, long.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)

  2. Quotes verse 38:14 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture XIII)

    The Psalmist says, And I became as a man that heareth not; and in whose mouth are no reproofs; and again, But I was as a deaf man and heard not; and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)