Bible Commentaries
Psalms 38

Verse 1

38:1 [A Psalm of David, to bring to {a} remembrance.] O LORD, rebuke me not in thy {b} wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

(a) To put himself and others in mind of God’s chastisement for sin.

(b) He desires not to be exempted from God’s rod, but that he would so moderate his hand, that he might be able to bear it.

Verse 2

38:2 For thine {c} arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

(c) Your sickness, with which you have visited me.

Verse 3

38:3 [There is] no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither [is there any] rest in my bones because of my {d} sin.

(d) David acknowledges God to be just in his punishments, because his sins had deserved much more.

Verse 4

38:4 For mine {e} iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

(e) He confesses his sins, God’s justice, and makes prayer his refuge.

Verse 5

38:5 My wounds stink [and] are corrupt because of {f} my foolishness.

(f) That rather gave place to my own lusts, than to the will of God.

Verse 8

38:8 I am feeble and sore broken: I {g} have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

(g) This example warns us never to despair, no matter how great the torment: but always to cry to God with sure trust for deliverance.

Verse 10

38:10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, {h} it also is gone from me.

(h) My sight fails me for sorrow.

Verse 11

38:11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my {i} kinsmen stand afar off.

(i) Partly for fear and partly for pride, they denied all duty and friendship.

Verse 13

38:13 But I, as a {k} deaf [man], heard not; and [I was] as a dumb man [that] openeth not his mouth.

(k) For I can have no audience before men, and therefore patiently wait for the help of God.

Verse 16

38:16 For I said, [Hear me], lest [otherwise] they should rejoice over me: {l} when my foot slippeth, they magnify [themselves] against me.

(l) That is, if they see that you do not help me in time, they will mock and triumph as though you had forsaken me.

Verse 17

38:17 For I [am] ready to {m} halt, and my sorrow [is] continually before me.

(m) I am without hope to recover my strength.

Verse 19

38:19 But mine {n} enemies [are] lively, [and] they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

(n) In my greatest misery they most rejoice.

Verse 20

38:20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow [the thing that] {o} good [is].

(o) He would rather have the hatred of all the world, than fail in any part of his duty to God.

Verse 22

38:22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my {p} salvation.

(p) Who is the author of my salvation: and this declares that he prayed with sure hope of deliverance.