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Psalm 38-40
New International Version
Psalm 38-40
New International Version
Psalm 38[a]
A psalm of David. A petition.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(A)
2 Your arrows(B) have pierced me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health(C) in my body;
there is no soundness in my bones(D) because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed(E) me
like a burden too heavy to bear.(F)
5 My wounds(G) fester and are loathsome(H)
because of my sinful folly.(I)
6 I am bowed down(J) and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning.(K)
7 My back is filled with searing pain;(L)
there is no health(M) in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;(N)
I groan(O) in anguish of heart.(P)
9 All my longings(Q) lie open before you, Lord;
my sighing(R) is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(S) my strength fails(T) me;
even the light has gone from my eyes.(U)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(V)
my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(W)
those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(X)
all day long they scheme and lie.(Y)
13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(Z)
like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(AA) for you;
you will answer,(AB) Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(AC)
or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(AD)
17 For I am about to fall,(AE)
and my pain(AF) is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(AG)
I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(AH) without cause[b];
those who hate me(AI) without reason(AJ) are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(AK)
lodge accusations(AL) against me,
though I seek only to do what is good.
21 Lord, do not forsake me;(AM)
do not be far(AN) from me, my God.
22 Come quickly(AO) to help me,(AP)
my Lord and my Savior.(AQ)
Psalm 39[c]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will watch my ways(AR)
and keep my tongue from sin;(AS)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth(AT)
while in the presence of the wicked.”
2 So I remained utterly silent,(AU)
not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(AV) increased;
3 my heart grew hot(AW) within me.
While I meditated,(AX) the fire(AY) burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days;(AZ)
let me know how fleeting(BA) my life is.(BB)
5 You have made my days(BC) a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,(BD)
even those who seem secure.[d]
6 “Surely everyone goes around(BE) like a mere phantom;(BF)
in vain they rush about,(BG) heaping up wealth(BH)
without knowing whose it will finally be.(BI)
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.(BJ)
8 Save me(BK) from all my transgressions;(BL)
do not make me the scorn(BM) of fools.
9 I was silent;(BN) I would not open my mouth,(BO)
for you are the one who has done this.(BP)
10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow(BQ) of your hand.(BR)
11 When you rebuke(BS) and discipline(BT) anyone for their sin,
you consume(BU) their wealth like a moth(BV)—
surely everyone is but a breath.(BW)
12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,
listen to my cry for help;(BX)
do not be deaf(BY) to my weeping.(BZ)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,(CA)
a stranger,(CB) as all my ancestors were.(CC)
13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
before I depart and am no more.”(CD)
Psalm 40[e](CE)
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 I waited patiently(CF) for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.(CG)
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,(CH)
out of the mud(CI) and mire;(CJ)
he set my feet(CK) on a rock(CL)
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song(CM) in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord(CN)
and put their trust(CO) in him.
4 Blessed is the one(CP)
who trusts in the Lord,(CQ)
who does not look to the proud,(CR)
to those who turn aside to false gods.[f](CS)
5 Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders(CT) you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare(CU) with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many(CV) to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—(CW)
but my ears you have opened[g]—(CX)
burnt offerings(CY) and sin offerings[h] you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.[i](CZ)
8 I desire to do your will,(DA) my God;(DB)
your law is within my heart.”(DC)
9 I proclaim your saving acts(DD) in the great assembly;(DE)
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.(DF)
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness(DG) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.(DH)
11 Do not withhold your mercy(DI) from me, Lord;
may your love(DJ) and faithfulness(DK) always protect(DL) me.
12 For troubles(DM) without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.(DN)
They are more than the hairs of my head,(DO)
and my heart fails(DP) within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.(DQ)
14 May all who want to take my life(DR)
be put to shame and confusion;(DS)
may all who desire my ruin(DT)
be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(DU)
be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you(DV)
rejoice and be glad(DW) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”(DX)
Footnotes
- Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
- Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text my vigorous enemies
- Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
- Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.
- Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
- Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
- Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
- Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me
Psalm 38-40
King James Version
Psalm 38-40
King James Version
38 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.
22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
39 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
4 Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
40 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me.
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
New International Version (NIV) 
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