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Psalm 38
New Living Translation
Psalm 38
New Living Translation
Psalm 38
A psalm of David, asking God to remember him.
1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage!
2 Your arrows have struck deep,
and your blows are crushing me.
3 Because of your anger, my whole body is sick;
my health is broken because of my sins.
4 My guilt overwhelms me—
it is a burden too heavy to bear.
5 My wounds fester and stink
because of my foolish sins.
6 I am bent over and racked with pain.
All day long I walk around filled with grief.
7 A raging fever burns within me,
and my health is broken.
8 I am exhausted and completely crushed.
My groans come from an anguished heart.
9 You know what I long for, Lord;
you hear my every sigh.
10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails,
and I am going blind.
11 My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease.
Even my own family stands at a distance.
12 Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me.
Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me.
All day long they plan their treachery.
13 But I am deaf to all their threats.
I am silent before them as one who cannot speak.
14 I choose to hear nothing,
and I make no reply.
15 For I am waiting for you, O Lord.
You must answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies gloat over me
or rejoice at my downfall.”
17 I am on the verge of collapse,
facing constant pain.
18 But I confess my sins;
I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
19 I have many aggressive enemies;
they hate me without reason.
20 They repay me evil for good
and oppose me for pursuing good.
21 Do not abandon me, O Lord.
Do not stand at a distance, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me,
O Lord my savior.
Psalm 38
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 38
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 38
Prayer of a Suffering Sinner
A psalm of David to bring remembrance.(A)
1 Lord, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(B)
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has pressed down on me.(C)
3 There is no soundness in my body
because of your indignation;
there is no health[a] in my bones
because of my sin.(D)
4 For my iniquities have flooded over my head;
they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.(E)
5 My wounds are foul and festering
because of my foolishness.(F)
6 I am bent over and brought very low;
all day long I go around in mourning.(G)
7 For my insides are full of burning pain,
and there is no soundness in my body.(H)
8 I am faint and severely crushed;
I groan because of the anguish of my heart.(I)
9 Lord, my every desire is in front of you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.(J)
10 My heart races, my strength leaves me,
and even the light of my eyes has faded.[b](K)
11 My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,
and my relatives stand at a distance.(L)
12 Those who intend to kill me set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.(M)
13 I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person
who does not open his mouth.(N)
14 I am like a man who does not hear
and has no arguments in his mouth.(O)
15 For I put my hope in you, Lord;
you will answer me, my Lord, my God.(P)
16 For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me—
those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”(Q)
17 For I am about to fall,
and my pain is constantly with me.(R)
18 So I confess my iniquity;
I am anxious because of my sin.(S)
19 But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;[c]
many hate me for no reason.(T)
20 Those who repay evil for good
attack me for pursuing good.(U)
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
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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.