Psalm 38-39

New International Version

Psalm 38^[a]

A psalm of David. A petition.

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.^(A)
²Your arrows^(B) have pierced me,
    and your hand has come down on me.
³Because of your wrath there is no health^(C) in my body;
    there is no soundness in my bones^(D) because of my sin.
⁴My guilt has overwhelmed^(E) me
    like a burden too heavy to bear.^(F)

⁵My wounds^(G) fester and are loathsome^(H)
    because of my sinful folly.^(I)
⁶I am bowed down^(J) and brought very low;
    all day long I go about mourning.^(K)
⁷My back is filled with searing pain;^(L)
    there is no health^(M) in my body.
⁸I am feeble and utterly crushed;^(N)
    I groan^(O) in anguish of heart.^(P)

⁹All my longings^(Q) lie open before you, Lord;
    my sighing^(R) is not hidden from you.
¹⁰My heart pounds,^(S) my strength fails^(T) me;
    even the light has gone from my eyes.^(U)
¹¹My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;^(V)
    my neighbors stay far away.
¹²Those 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)

¹³I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,^(Z)
    like the mute, who cannot speak;
¹⁴I have become like one who does not hear,
    whose mouth can offer no reply.
¹⁵Lord, I wait^(AA) for you;
    you will answer,^(AB) Lord my God.
¹⁶For I said, “Do not let them gloat^(AC)
    or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”^(AD)

¹⁷For I am about to fall,^(AE)
    and my pain^(AF) is ever with me.
¹⁸I confess my iniquity;^(AG)
    I am troubled by my sin.
¹⁹Many have become my enemies^(AH) without cause^[b];
    those who hate me^(AI) without reason^(AJ) are numerous.
²⁰Those who repay my good with evil^(AK)
    lodge accusations^(AL) against me,
    though I seek only to do what is good.

²¹Lord, do not forsake me;^(AM)
do not be far^(AN) from me, my God.
²²Come 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.

¹I 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.”
²So 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)
⁵You 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)
⁸Save me^(BK) from all my transgressions;^(BL)
    do not make me the scorn^(BM) of fools.
⁹I was silent;^(BN) I would not open my mouth,^(BO)
    for you are the one who has done this.^(BP)
¹⁰Remove your scourge from me;
    I am overcome by the blow^(BQ) of your hand.^(BR)
¹¹When 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)
¹³Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”^(CD)

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.