Which other scriptures discuss physical suffering as a result of sin? Living Reality in Psalm 38:7 “For my loins are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.” David is describing literal, bodily agony that he traces back to his own sin (see v. 3). Scripture repeats this thread in many places. Old-Testament Passages That Tie Sin to Bodily Pain • Psalm 32:3-4 — “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle… Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained.” • Psalm 31:10 — “My iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.” • Deuteronomy 28:20-22, 27, 35 — covenant curses list fevers, wasting disease, boils, and untreatable sores “on account of the evil you have done.” • Job 33:19 — “A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones.” • Proverbs 3:7-8 — turning from evil “will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.” • Isaiah 1:5-6 — rebellion leaves the nation “bruises, welts, and festering sores, not cleansed or bandaged.” • Micah 6:13 — “Therefore I will strike you with a grievous blow, destroying you because of your sins.” • Numbers 12:9-10 — Miriam’s jealousy ends in sudden leprosy. • 2 Samuel 12:15 — the child of David and Bathsheba becomes ill under divine discipline. • 2 Chronicles 26:19-21 — King Uzziah’s pride results in lifelong leprosy. • 2 Chronicles 21:18-19 — Jehoram dies in agony from “an incurable disease of the bowels.” Prophetic and Wisdom Books: The Theme Continues • Jeremiah 30:14-15 — “Because your guilt is great… I have done these things to you.” • Lamentations 3:4 — “He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones.” • Revelation 2:22 — the unrepentant “Jezebel” is cast “on a bed of suffering.” New-Testament Echoes • John 5:14 — After healing the man at Bethesda, Jesus warns, “Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” • Acts 5:5, 10 — Ananias and Sapphira fall dead after lying to the Holy Spirit. • Acts 12:23 — Herod is “eaten by worms and died” because he refused to give God glory. • 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 — abuse of the Lord’s Supper leaves “many… weak and sick, and a number… fallen asleep.” • James 5:15-16 — confession and prayer bring both forgiveness and healing, showing the link can run both ways. Observations to Hold in Tension • Scripture presents real instances where sin leads directly to bodily affliction. • At the same time, books like Job and John 9 remind us that not all suffering is punitive; each case needs discernment. • Wherever sin truly is the root, repentance opens the door to mercy, forgiveness, and often physical renewal. Hope Beyond the Pain The same God who disciplines also delights to restore. David’s Psalm 38 ends with confident expectation of deliverance, pointing us to the greater healing found in Christ, who bore our sins and ultimately “by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). |
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