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Psalm 38
Wycliffe Bible
Psalm 38
Wycliffe Bible
38 The psalm of David, to bethink on the sabbath. Lord, reprove thou not me in thy strong vengeance; neither chastise thou me in thine ire. (The song of David, to remember the sabbath. Lord, rebuke thou me not in thy fury; nor chastise thou me in thy anger.)
2 For thine arrows be fixed in me; and thou hast made steadfast thine hand on me.
3 None health is in my flesh from the face of thine ire; no peace is to my bones from the face of my sins. (There is no health in my flesh, because of thy anger; there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins.)
4 For my wickednesses be gone over mine head; as an heavy burden, those be made heavy on me (like a heavy weight, they be made heavy upon me).
5 Mine healed wounds were rotten, and be broken; from the face of mine unwisdom. (My wounds became rotten, and broken; because of my folly, or my foolishness.)
6 I am made a wretch, and I am bowed down till into the end; all day I entered sorrowful. (I am made a wretch, and I am bent down to the ground; I go about in sorrow all day long.)
7 For my loins be filled with scornings; and health is not in my flesh. (For my loins be filled with sickness; and there is no health in my flesh.)
8 I am tormented, and made low full greatly (I am tormented, and brought down so very low); I roared for the wailing of mine heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my wailing is not hid from thee.
10 Mine heart is troubled in me, my virtue forsook me; and the light of mine eyes, and it is not with me. (My heart is troubled within me, my strength deserted me; and the light in my eyes, it hath also left me.)
11 My friends and my neighbours nighed; and stood (over) against me. And they that were beside me stood afar; (My friends and my neighbours stand far away from me; because of my sickness, or my sores. And even my family members stand far away from me;)
12 and they did violence, that sought my life. And they that sought evils to me, spake vanities; and thought guiles all day. (and they who sought my life, did violence to me. Yea, they who sought evil for me, spoke empty gossip; and they thought up lies and slander about me, all day long.)
13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and as a dumb man not opening his mouth. (But I, like a deaf man, did not listen to them; and like a dumb man, I did not open my mouth.)
14 And I am made as a man not hearing; and not having reprovings in his mouth. (And I am made like a deaf man; yea, one not speaking any rebuke, or reply.)
15 For, Lord, I hoped in thee (For, Lord, I trusted in thee); my Lord God, thou shalt hear me.
16 For I said, (Hear me,) Lest any time mine enemies have joy on me; and the while my feet be moved/and while my feet were moved, they spake great things on me. (For I said, Hear me, lest any time my enemies have joy over me; for when my feet slipped, or stumbled, they spoke many things against me.)
17 For I am ready to beatings; and my sorrow is ever[more] in my sight. (For I am about to fall; and my sorrow is before me forevermore.)
18 For I shall tell my wickedness; and I shall think for my sin. (For I shall tell out my wickedness; and I am afraid, when I think of my sin.)
19 But mine enemies live, and they be confirmed on me; and they be multiplied, that hate me wickedly. (But my enemies live, and they be strong against me; yea, there be many who wickedly hate me.)
20 They that yield evils for goods, backbited me; for I followed goodness. (Those who give back evil in return for good, backbite me; because I do what is right, or good.)
21 My Lord God, forsake thou not me (do not thou desert me); go thou not away from me.
22 Lord God of mine health; behold thou into mine help. (Lord God of my salvation, or of my deliverance, hasten thou to help me.)
Psalm 38
New International Version
Psalm 38
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.
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 38
English Standard Version
Psalm 38
English Standard Version
Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord
A Psalm of David, (A)for the memorial offering.
38 O Lord, (B)rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your (C)arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand (D)has come down on me.
3 There is (E)no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my (F)bones
because of my sin.
4 For my (G)iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and fester
because of my foolishness,
6 I am (H)utterly bowed down and (I)prostrate;
all the day I (J)go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is (K)no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
I (L)groan because of the tumult of my heart.
9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
my (M)sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and (N)the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My (O)friends and companions (P)stand aloof from my (Q)plague,
and my nearest kin (R)stand far off.
12 Those who seek my life (S)lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt (T)speak of ruin
and meditate (U)treachery all day long.
13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like (V)a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no (W)rebukes.
15 But for (X)you, O Lord, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only (Y)let them not rejoice over me,
who (Z)boast against me when my (AA)foot slips!”
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
2001 by Terence P. Noble
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.