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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
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 38
New American Standard Bible
Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.
A Psalm of David, for a memorial.
38 Lord, (A)do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
And do not punish me in Your burning anger.
2 For Your (B)arrows have sunk deep into me,
And (C)Your hand has pressed down on me.
3 There is (D)no healthy part in my flesh (E)because of Your indignation;
There is no health (F)in my bones because of my sin.
4 For my (G)guilty deeds have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.
5 My [a]wounds grow foul and fester
Because of (H)my foolishness.
6 I am bent over and (I)greatly bowed down;
I (J)go in mourning all day long.
7 For my [b]sides are filled with (K)burning,
And there is (L)no healthy part in my flesh.
8 I feel (M)faint and [c]badly crushed;
I [d](N)groan because of the [e]agitation of my heart.
9 Lord, all (O)my desire is [f]before You;
And my (P)sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart throbs, (Q)my strength fails me;
And the (R)light of my eyes, even [g]that [h]has gone from me.
11 My [i](S)loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my kinsmen (T)stand far away.
12 Those who (U)seek my life (V)lay snares for me;
And those who (W)seek to injure me have [j]threatened destruction,
And they (X)plot deception all day long.
13 But I, like a person who is deaf, do not hear;
And I am like a (Y)person who cannot speak, who does not open his mouth.
14 Yes, I am like a person who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.
15 For (Z)I wait for You, Lord;
You (AA)will answer, Lord my God.
16 For I said, “May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, (AB)would exalt themselves over me.”
17 For I am (AC)ready to fall,
And (AD)my [k]sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I (AE)admit my guilt;
I am full of (AF)anxiety because of my sin.
19 But my (AG)enemies are vigorous and [l]strong,
And those who wrongfully (AH)hate me are many.
20 And those who (AI)repay evil for good,
They (AJ)become my enemies, because I follow what is good.
21 Do not abandon me, Lord;
My God, (AK)do not be far from me!
22 (AL)Hurry to help me,
Lord, (AM)my salvation!
Footnotes
- Psalm 38:5 Or stripes
- Psalm 38:7 Lit loins
- Psalm 38:8 Or greatly
- Psalm 38:8 Lit roar
- Psalm 38:8 Lit growling
- Psalm 38:9 Or known to You
- Psalm 38:10 Lit they have
- Psalm 38:10 Lit is not with me
- Psalm 38:11 Or lovers
- Psalm 38:12 Lit spoken
- Psalm 38:17 Lit pain
- Psalm 38:19 Or numerous
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!”
Psalm 38
Common English Bible
Psalm 38
Common English Bible
Psalm 38
A psalm of David. For the memorial offering.
38 Please, Lord, don’t punish me when you are mad;
don’t discipline me when you are furious.
2 Your arrows have pierced me;
your fist has come down hard on me.
3 There’s nothing in my body that isn’t broken
because of your rage;
there’s no health in my bones
because of my sin.
4 My wrongdoings are stacked higher than my head;
they are a weight that’s way too heavy for me.
5 My wounds reek; they are all infected
because of my stupidity.
6 I am hunched over, completely down;
I wander around all day long, sad.
7 My insides are burning up;
there’s nothing in my body that isn’t broken.
8 I’m worn out, completely crushed;
I groan because of my miserable heart.
9 Everything I long for is laid out before you, my Lord;
my sighs aren’t hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds; my strength abandons me.
Even the light of my eyes is gone.
11 My loved ones and friends keep their distance
from me in my sickness;
those who were near me now stay far away.
12 Those who want me dead lay traps;
those who want me harmed utter threats,
muttering lies all day long.
13 But I’m like someone who is deaf,
who can’t hear;
like someone who can’t speak,
whose mouth won’t open.
14 I’ve become like a person
who doesn’t hear what is being said,
whose mouth has no good comeback.
15 But I wait for you, Lord!
You will answer, my Lord, my God!
16 Because I prayed:
“Don’t let them celebrate over me
or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips,”
17 because I’m very close to falling,
and my pain is always with me.
18 Yes, I confess my wrongdoing;
I’m worried about my sin.
19 But my mortal enemies are so strong;
those who hate me for no reason seem countless.
20 Those who give, repay good with evil;
they oppose me for pursuing good.
21 Don’t leave me all alone, Lord!
Please, my God, don’t be far from me!
22 Come quickly and help me,
my Lord, my salvation!
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.
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.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
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.