Book of Common Prayer
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)
ד Daleth
25 My life is down in the dust;(A)
give me life(B) through your word.
26 I told you about my life,
and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.(C)
27 Help me understand
the meaning of your precepts
so that I can meditate on your wonders.(D)
28 I am weary[a] from grief;
strengthen me through your word.(E)
29 Keep me from the way of deceit
and graciously give me your instruction.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set your ordinances before me.(F)
31 I cling to your decrees;
Lord, do not put me to shame.(G)
32 I pursue the way of your commands,
for you broaden my understanding.[b](H)
ה He
33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning[c] of your statutes,
and I will always keep them.[d](I)
34 Help me understand your instruction,(J)
and I will obey it
and follow it with all my heart.(K)
35 Help me stay on the path of your commands,(L)
for I take pleasure in it.(M)
36 Turn my heart to your decrees(N)
and not to dishonest profit.(O)
37 Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;(P)
give me life in your ways.[e](Q)
38 Confirm what you said to your servant,(R)
for it produces reverence for you.
39 Turn away the disgrace I dread;(S)
indeed, your judgments are good.
40 How I long for your precepts!(T)
Give me life through your righteousness.
ו Waw
41 Let your faithful love come to me, Lord,(U)
your salvation, as you promised.(V)
42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me,(W)
for I trust in your word.
43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth,
for I hope in your judgments.(X)
44 I will always obey your instruction,
forever and ever.(Y)
45 I will walk freely in an open place(Z)
because I study your precepts.(AA)
46 I will speak of your decrees before kings
and not be ashamed.(AB)
47 I delight in your commands,
which I love.(AC)
48 I will lift up my hands(AD) to your commands,
which I love,
and will meditate on your statutes.(AE)
The Seventh Seal
8 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence(A) in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God;(B) seven trumpets were given to them.(C) 3 Another angel, with a golden incense burner, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne.(D) 4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up in the presence of God from the angel’s hand. 5 The angel took the incense burner, filled it with fire from the altar,(E) and hurled it to the earth; there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.(F)
The Seven Trumpets
6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
The First Trumpet
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire, mixed with blood, were hurled to the earth.(G) So a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.(H)
The Second Trumpet
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea.(I) So a third of the sea became blood,(J) 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
The Third Trumpet
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from heaven.(K) It fell on a third of the rivers and springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood,(L) and a third of the waters became wormwood. So, many of the people died from the waters, because they had been made bitter.
The Fourth Trumpet
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day was without light and also a third of the night.(M)
13 I looked and heard an eagle[a] flying high overhead, crying out in a loud voice, “Woe!(N) Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth, because of the remaining trumpet blasts that the three angels are about to sound!”
The Return of the Seventy-Two
17 The seventy-two[a](A) returned with joy, saying,(B) “Lord, even the demons(C) submit to us in your name.”(D)
18 He said to them, “I watched Satan(E) fall from heaven like lightning.(F) 19 Look, I have given you the authority(G) to trample(H) on snakes(I) and scorpions(J) and over all the power of the enemy; (K) nothing at all will harm you.(L) 20 However, don’t rejoice that[b] the spirits (M) submit to you,(N) but rejoice that your names are written(O) in heaven.”
The Son Reveals the Father
21 At that time(P) he[c] rejoiced in the Holy[d] Spirit(Q) and said, “I praise[e] you, Father,(R) Lord of heaven and earth,(S) because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent(T) and revealed them to infants.(U) Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.[f](V) 22 All things have[g] been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son desires[h] to reveal him.”(W)
23 Then turning to his disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see but didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.”(X)
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