Psalm 38


Psalm 38 is the 38th psalm of the Book of Psalms and titled "A psalm of David to bring to remembrance." In the English King James Version of the Bible, it begins: "O lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath". In the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 37 in a slightly different numbering system. In Latin, it is known as "Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me". It is one of the 7 Penitential Psalms.

Text

King James Version

  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.

    Content

The Psalm's topic is God's displeasure at sin. and the psalmist's sufferings and prayers.. The Psalm opens with a prayer, David felt as if he had been forgotten of his God. It then passes intermittently between complaint and hope.
Benjamin Weiss noted the "depth of misery into which the psalmist gradually plunges in his complaints, then the sudden grasp at the arm of mercy and omnipotence"
Written late in David's Life, though Coffman's believes it was early in David's reign It was oft conjectured as a biography of sorts for David. John Calvin thought rather it was David's intent to commit to music to transmit what he had learnt through his life, of the relationship he had with his Lord before he passed.

Uses

Judaism

Verse 22 is part of the long Tachanun recited on Mondays and Thursdays.

[New Testament]

Verse 11 is quoted in Luke

Catholic Church

From around AD 530, this Psalm was traditionally performed at monasteries, during matins of monday, according to the Rule of St. Benedict. Since reforms after Vaticanum II, where the main cycle of liturgical prayers takes place over four weeks, Psalm 37 is recited during the liturgy of the hours on Friday, the second week, at the Office of Readings.

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Verse 1 is quoted in chapter 6 of 1 Meqabyan, a book considered canonical by this church.

Musical settings

Musical settings of Psalm 38 include: