Psalm 38

¹  Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your wrath,
    neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
² For your arrows have pierced me,
    your hand presses hard on me.
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 For my iniquities have gone over my head.
    As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
⁵ My wounds are loathsome and corrupt
    because of my foolishness.
⁶ I am in pain and bowed down greatly.
    I go mourning all day long.
⁷ For my waist is filled with burning.
    There is no soundness in my flesh.
⁸ I am faint and severely bruised.
    I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
⁹ Lord, all my desire is before you.
    My groaning is not hidden from you.
¹⁰ My heart throbs.
    My strength fails me.
    As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.
¹¹ My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague.
    My kinsmen stand far away.
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 But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear.
    I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.
¹⁴ Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear,
    in whose mouth are no reproofs.
¹⁵ For I hope in you, Yahweh.
    You will answer, Lord my God.
¹⁶ For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me,
    or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”
¹⁷ For I am ready to fall.
    My pain is continually before me.
¹⁸ For I will declare my iniquity.
    I will be sorry for my sin.
¹⁹ But my enemies are vigorous and many.
    Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
²⁰ They who render evil for good are also adversaries to me,
    because I follow what is good.
²¹ Don’t forsake me, Yahweh.
    My God, don’t be far from me.
²² Hurry to help me,
    Lord, my salvation.

Psalm 37   ■   Psalm 39