Psalms 38

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David moveth God to take compassion of his sad condition, confessing his sins to have been the cause of it.

A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.

1. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

6. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

7. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

8. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

9. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

10. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

11. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

12. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

13. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

14. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

15. For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

16. For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

17. For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

18. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

19. But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

20. They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

21. Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

22. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

Metrical version

Psalm 38

C.M. Dundee

In thy great indignation,
O LORD, rebuke me not;
Nor on me lay thy chast'ning hand,
in thy displeasure hot.

For in me fast thine arrows stick,
thine hand doth press me sore:
And in my flesh there is no health,
nor soundness any more.

This grief I have, because thy wrath
is forth against me gone;
And in my bones there is no rest,
for sin that I have done.

Because gone up above mine head
my great transgressions be;
And, as a weighty burden, they
too heavy are for me.

My wounds do stink, and are corrupt;
my folly makes it so.
I troubled am, and much bowed down;
all day I mourning go.

For a disease that loathsome is
so fills my loins with pain,
That in my weak and weary flesh
no soundness doth remain.

So feeble and infirm am I,
and broken am so sore,
That, through disquiet of my heart,
I have been made to roar.

O Lord, all that I do desire
is still before thine eye;
And of my heart the secret groans
not hidden are from thee.

My heart doth pant incessantly,
my strength doth quite decay;
As for mine eyes, their wonted light
is from me gone away.

My lovers and my friends do stand
at distance from my sore;
And those do stand aloof that were
kinsmen and kind before.

Yea, they that seek my life lay snares:
who seek to do me wrong
Speak things mischievous, and deceits
imagine all day long.

But, as one deaf, that heareth not,
I suffered all to pass;
I as a dumb man did become,
whose mouth not opened was:

As one that hears not, in whose mouth
are no reproofs at all.
For, LORD, I hope in thee; my God,
thou'lt hear me when I call.

For I said, Hear me, lest they should
rejoice o'er me with pride;
And o'er me magnify themselves,
when as my foot doth slide.

For I am near to halt, my grief
is still before mine eye:
For I'll declare my sin, and grieve
for mine iniquity.

But yet mine en'mies lively are,
and strong are they beside;
And they that hate me wrongfully
are greatly multiplied.

And they for good that render ill,
as en'mies me withstood;
Yea, ev'n for this, because that I
do follow what is good.

Forsake me not, O LORD; my God,
far from me never be.
O Lord, thou my salvation art,
haste to give help to me.