Psalm 38 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
1 A psalm of David, for a memorial. Lord, please don't condemn me because you're angry with me; don't punish me because you're furious with me!
1 A Psalm by David, for a memorial. Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
2 Your arrows have pierced me deeply, your hand has come down hard on me.
2 For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.
3 Because you're so upset with me, not a single part of my body is healthy; I am completely sick because of my sins.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
4 I'm drowning in guilt—the burden is too heavy to bear.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are infected—they're smelling—all because of my stupidity.
5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.
6 I am bent over, doubled up in pain. The whole day I walk around crying my eyes out.
6 I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
7 Inside I'm burning up with fever; no part of my body is healthy.
7 For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I'm worn out, totally down. I groan because of the anguish I feel in my heart.
8 I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
9 Lord, you know what I desperately want, you hear every sigh I make.
9 Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
10 My heart is racing, leaving me with no strength; my eyesight is failing.
10 My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.
11 My loved ones and my friends don't come near me because they're afraid of what I've got. Even my family keeps me at a distance.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
12 Those who are trying to kill me set traps for me; those who want to hurt me make threats against me, working on their deceitful schemes all day long.
12 They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.
13 I act as if I'm deaf to what they're saying, and pretend to be dumb so I don't have to speak.
13 But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.
14 Like a man who can't hear, and who doesn't reply—that's me!
14 Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For I'm waiting on you, Lord! You will answer for me, my Lord and my God.
15 For I hope in you, Yahweh. You will answer, Lord my God.
16 I'm asking you, Lord, please don't let my enemies gloat over me, don't let them be glad when I trip up.
16 For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”
17 For I'm about ready to collapse—the pain never stops.
17 For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.
18 I do confess my sins; I am terribly sorry for what I've done.
18 For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.
19 I have many powerful enemies—they are very active, hating me for no reason.
19 But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20 They pay me back evil for good; they accuse me for the good I try to do.
20 They who give evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
21 Don't give up on me, my Lord and my God, don't stay away from me.
21 Don’t forsake me, Yahweh. My God, don’t be far from me.
22 Hurry, come and help me, Lord my salvation.
22 Hurry to help me, 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 Isaiah 54:8; Hebrews 12:5–11; Psalm 6:1; Psalm 70:1; Jeremiah 30:11
- 2 Job 6:4; Psalm 32:4; 1 Samuel 5:6; Deuteronomy 2:15; Lamentations 3:12
- 3 Psalm 6:2; Psalm 51:8; Psalm 31:9–10; Isaiah 1:5–6; Lamentations 3:40–42
- 4 Psalm 40:12; Ezra 9:6; Matthew 11:28; Lamentations 1:14; 1 Peter 2:24
- 5 Isaiah 1:5–6; Psalm 69:5; Jeremiah 8:22; Psalm 32:3; Psalm 38:7
- 6 Job 30:28; Psalm 35:14; Psalm 42:9; Psalm 31:10; Psalm 42:5
- 7 Psalm 102:3; 2 Chronicles 21:18–19; Acts 12:23; Psalm 41:8; Job 30:18
- 8 Job 3:24; Psalm 32:3; Job 30:28; Isaiah 59:11; Psalm 22:1–2
- 9 Psalm 10:17; Psalm 6:6; 2 Corinthians 5:2; Romans 8:26–27; John 1:48
- 10 Psalm 6:7; Psalm 88:9; Psalm 69:3; Psalm 119:123; Lamentations 5:16–17
- 11 Psalm 31:11; Luke 23:49; Job 19:13–17; John 16:32; Psalm 88:18
- 12 Psalm 35:20; 2 Samuel 17:1–3; Psalm 140:5; Psalm 54:3; Psalm 141:9
- 13 Isaiah 53:7; Psalm 39:9; Psalm 39:2; 1 Peter 2:23; 2 Samuel 16:10–12
- 14 Amos 5:13; John 8:6; Mark 15:3–5; Micah 7:5
- 15 Psalm 39:7; Psalm 17:6; Psalm 138:3; Psalm 123:1–3
- 16 Psalm 94:18; Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 35:24–26; Psalm 13:3–4
- 17 Psalm 35:15; Psalm 6:6; Psalm 38:6; Micah 4:6–7; Psalm 77:2–3
- 18 Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; Job 33:27; Psalm 51:3; 2 Corinthians 7:7–11
- 19 John 15:18–25; Psalm 35:19; Matthew 10:22; Psalm 69:4; Psalm 56:1–2
- 20 Psalm 35:12; Jeremiah 18:20; 1 John 3:12; John 10:32; 1 Peter 4:14–16
- 21 Psalm 22:19; Psalm 22:24; Psalm 22:11; Psalm 35:21–22; Psalm 22:1
- 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).
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)
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)