Wait for the Lord: Confession and Urgent Rescue
I wait for You, Lord, to answer me; I confess my sin and my pain while my enemies grow strong, so do not stay far from me, my Savior.
Psalms 38:15–22 (BSB)
15 I wait for You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Let them not gloat over me—those who taunt me when my foot slips.”
17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
18 Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many are my enemies without cause, and many hate me without reason.
20 Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.
21 Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God.
22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.
What is the big idea of Psalms 38:15–22?
I wait for You, Lord, to answer me; I confess my sin and my pain while my enemies grow strong, so do not stay far from me, my Savior.
How does Psalms 38:15–22 point to Christ?
Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior who was 'hated without reason' so that we could be loved with an everlasting love; because He rose from the 'fall' of death, He is the answer to all who wait for Him in their sin and pain.
Authorial Intent
To conclude the lament with a definitive act of waiting and confession, seeking an urgent divine response and rescue from unprovoked and powerful adversaries.
Chapter: Psalm 38
Confessing Sin While Waiting for the LORD's Near Help
When sin, suffering, shame, and opposition press in together, the faithful do not hide from God but confess honestly, wait silently, and plead for the LORD their Savior to draw near.