Psalm 38

Prayer of a Suffering Sinner

A psalm of David to bring remembrance.†

Lord, do not punish me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.a

2For your arrows have sunk into me,

and your hand has pressed down on me.a

3There is no soundness in my body

because of your indignation;

there is no healthA in my bones

because of my sin.a

4For my iniquities have flooded over my head;

they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.a

5My wounds are foul and festering

because of my foolishness.a

6I am bent over and brought very low;

all day long I go around in mourning.a

7For my insides are full of burning pain,

and there is no soundness in my body.a

8I am faint and severely crushed;

I groan because of the anguish of my heart.a

9Lord, my every desire is in front of you;

my sighing is not hidden from you.a

10My heart races, my strength leaves me,

and even the light of my eyes has faded.a a

11My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction,

and my relatives stand at a distance.a

12Those who intend to kill me set traps,

and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;

they plot treachery all day long.a

13I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.

I am like a speechless person

who does not open his mouth.a

14I am like a man who does not hear

and has no arguments in his mouth.a

15For I put my hope in you, Lord;

you will answer me, my Lord, my God.a

16For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me —

those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”a

17For I am about to fall,

and my pain is constantly with me.a

18So I confess my iniquity;

I am anxious because of my sin.a

19But my enemies are vigorous and powerful;A

many hate me for no reason.a

20Those who repay evil for good

attack me for pursuing good.a

21Lord, do not abandon me;

my God, do not be far from me.a

22Hurry to help me,

my Lord, my salvation.a