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Psalm 38-40
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 38-40
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 38
A Penitent Sufferer’s Plea for Healing
A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(A)
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.(B)
3 There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.(C)
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.(D)
5 My wounds grow foul and fester
because of my foolishness;(E)
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all day long I go around mourning.(F)
7 For my loins are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.(G)
8 I am utterly spent and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.(H)
9 O Lord, all my longing is known to you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.(I)
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me;
as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
and my neighbors stand far off.(J)
12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin
and meditate on treachery all day long.(K)
13 But I am like the deaf; I do not hear;
like the mute, who cannot speak.(L)
14 Truly, I am like one who does not hear
and in whose mouth is no retort.
15 But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.(M)
16 For I pray, “Only do not let them rejoice over me,
those who boast against me when my foot slips.”(N)
17 For I am ready to fall,
and my pain is ever with me.(O)
18 I confess my iniquity;
I am sorry for my sin.(P)
19 Those who are my foes without cause[a] are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.(Q)
20 Those who render me evil for good
are my adversaries because I follow after good.(R)
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me;(S)
22 make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation.(T)
Psalm 39
Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness
To the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will keep a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence.”(U)
2 I was silent and still;
I held my peace to no avail;
my distress grew worse;(V)
3 my heart became hot within me.
While I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, let me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.(W)
5 You have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight.
Surely everyone stands as a mere breath. Selah(X)
6 Surely everyone goes about like a shadow.
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
they heap up and do not know who will gather.(Y)
7 “And now, O Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in you.(Z)
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool.(AA)
9 I am silent; I do not open my mouth,
for it is you who have done it.(AB)
10 Remove your stroke from me;
I am worn down by the blows[b] of your hand.(AC)
11 “You chastise mortals
in punishment for sin,
consuming like a moth what is dear to them;
surely everyone is a mere breath. Selah(AD)
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
do not hold your peace at my tears.
For I am your passing guest,
an alien, like all my forebears.(AE)
13 Turn your gaze away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more.”(AF)
Psalm 40
Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.(AG)
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit,[c]
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.(AH)
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.(AI)
4 Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.(AJ)
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.(AK)
6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.[d]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.(AL)
7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.[e]
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”(AM)
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.(AN)
10 I have not hidden your saving help within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.(AO)
11 Do not, O Lord, withhold
your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
keep me safe forever.(AP)
12 For evils have encompassed me
without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me
until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.(AQ)
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.(AR)
14 Let all those be put to shame and confusion
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt.(AS)
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”(AT)
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
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.