Focused Passage

Psalms 38:1-8

Confessing Sin While Waiting for the LORD's Near Help

plea against wrathful rebuke -> sin-connected anguish -> transparent groaning before the Lord -> isolation and enemy schemes -> silent waiting for God's answer -> confession amid unjust hostility -> urgent appeal for nearness and help

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

A Psalm of David, for remembrance.

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.

2 For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my body because of Your anger; there is no rest in my bones because of my sin.

4 For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.

5 My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly.

6 I am bent and brought low; all day long I go about mourning.

7 For my loins are full of burning pain, and no soundness remains in my body.

8 I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

O LORD יְֽהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular do not אַל־ H408 Adverb rebuke me תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי H3198 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular in Your anger בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥ H7110 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular or discipline me תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃ H3256 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular in Your wrath וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ H2534 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction Your arrows חִ֭צֶּיךָ H2671 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular have pierced me deeply נִ֣חֲתוּ H5181 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural and Your hand יָדֶֽךָ׃ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular has pressed down וַתִּנְחַ֖ת H5181 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular on me עָלַ֣י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 3

Original words

There is no אֵין־ H369 Adverb soundness מְתֹ֣ם H4974 Noun - masculine singular in my body בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי H1320 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular because of מִפְּנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct Your anger זַעְמֶ֑ךָ H2195 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular there is no אֵין־ H369 Adverb rest שָׁל֥וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular in my bones בַּ֝עֲצָמַ֗י H6106 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular because of מִפְּנֵ֥י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct my sin חַטָּאתִֽי׃ H2403 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 4

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction my iniquities עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי H5771 Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular have overwhelmed עָבְר֣וּ H5674 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural me רֹאשִׁ֑י H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular they are a burden כְּמַשָּׂ֥א H4853 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular too heavy כָ֝בֵ֗ד H3515 Adjective - masculine singular to bear יִכְבְּד֥וּ H3513 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ H4480 Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 5

Original words

My wounds חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י H2250 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular are foul הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ H887 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural and festering נָ֭מַקּוּ H4743 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural because of מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct my sinful folly אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃ H200 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 6

Original words

I am bent נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי H5753 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular and brought low שַׁחֹ֣תִי H7817 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular . . . עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . מְאֹ֑ד H3966 Adverb all day long כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַ֝יּ֗וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular I go about הִלָּֽכְתִּי׃ H1980 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular mourning קֹדֵ֥ר H6937 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction my loins כְ֭סָלַי H3689 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular are full of מָלְא֣וּ H4390 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural burning pain נִקְלֶ֑ה H7033 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular and no וְאֵ֥ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb soundness מְ֝תֹ֗ם H4974 Noun - masculine singular [remains] in my body בִּבְשָׂרִֽי׃ H1320 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 8

Original words

I am numb נְפוּג֣וֹתִי H6313 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular and badly עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . מְאֹ֑ד H3966 Adverb crushed וְנִדְכֵּ֣יתִי H1794 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular I groan שָׁ֝אַ֗גְתִּי H7580 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular in anguish מִֽנַּהֲמַ֥ת H5100 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of heart לִבִּֽי׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.