Psalms - Chapter 38

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

1 <A Psalm. Of David. To keep in memory.> O Lord, be not bitter with me in your wrath; let not your hand be on me in the heat of your passion.

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

2 For your arrows have gone into my flesh, and I am crushed under the weight of your hand.

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

3 My flesh is wasted because of your wrath; and there is no peace 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.

4 For my crimes have gone over my head; they are like a great weight which is more than my strength.

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

5 My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour.

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

6 I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day.

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

7 For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy.

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

8 I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart.

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

9 Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you.

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

10 My heart goes out in pain, my strength is wasting away; as for the light of my eyes, it is gone from me.

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

11 My lovers and my friends keep away from my disease; my relations keep far away.

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.

12 Those who have a desire to take my life put nets for me; those who are designing my destruction say evil things against me, all the day their minds are full of deceit.

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

13 But I kept my ears shut like a man without hearing; like a man without a voice, never opening his mouth.

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

14 So I was like a man whose ears are shut, and in whose mouth there are no sharp words.

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

15 In you, O Lord, is my hope: you will give me an answer, 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.

16 I said, Let them not be glad over me; when my foot is moved, let them not be lifted up with pride against me.

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

17 My feet are near to falling, and my sorrow is ever before me.

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

18 I will make clear my wrongdoing, with sorrow in my heart for my sin.

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

19 But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers.

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

20 They give me back evil for good; they are my haters because I go after the thing which is right.

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

21 Do not give me up, O Lord; O my God, be near to me.

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

22 Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation.