Bible Commentaries
Psalms 38

Introduction

Overview

Psalms 38:1, David moves God to take compassion on his pitiful case.

Verse 1

- Title This deeply penitential Psalm is supposed to have been composed by David under some grievous affliction, either bodily or mental, or both, after his illicit intercourse with Bathsheba.

to bring: Psalms 70:1,*title

Verse 2

thine: Psalms 21:12, Psalms 64:7, Job 6:4, Lamentations 3:12

thy hand: Psalms 32:4, Psalms 39:10, Psalms 39:11, Deuteronomy 2:15, Ruth 1:13, 1 Samuel 5:6, 1 Samuel 5:11, 1 Samuel 6:9

Reciprocal: Job 2:5 - put forth Job 19:21 - the hand Job 30:17 - My bones Psalms 45:5 - Thine Psalms 88:16 - fierce Proverbs 18:14 - but Lamentations 3:4 - My flesh Acts 13:11 - hand Romans 7:24 - wretched

Verse 3

soundness: Psalms 31:9, 2 Chronicles 26:19, Job 2:7, Job 2:8, Job 33:19-22, Isaiah 1:5, Isaiah 1:6

neither: Psalms 6:2, Psalms 51:8, Psalms 102:3, Psalms 102:5

rest: Heb. peace, or, health

because: Psalms 51:8, Psalms 90:7, Psalms 90:8, Lamentations 3:40-42

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:7 - General Leviticus 13:18 - a boil 1 Samuel 7:6 - We have sinned Job 19:20 - bone Psalms 32:3 - bones Psalms 35:10 - All Psalms 38:7 - no Psalms 39:10 - I am consumed Psalms 41:8 - An evil disease Psalms 77:2 - my Psalms 102:10 - Because Lamentations 4:8 - their skin

Verse 4

mine: Psalms 40:12, Ezra 9:6

as an: Leviticus 7:18, Isaiah 53:11, Lamentations 1:14, Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 2:24

Reciprocal: Leviticus 5:1 - bear Leviticus 22:16 - General Numbers 14:34 - shall ye bear Numbers 15:31 - his iniquity Psalms 39:10 - I am consumed Psalms 49:5 - iniquity Psalms 65:3 - prevail Isaiah 24:20 - the transgression Ezekiel 44:10 - bear Zechariah 5:8 - the weight Matthew 18:24 - ten thousand 2 Timothy 3:6 - laden

Verse 5

My wounds: The soul being invisible, its distempers are also so; therefore the sacred writers describe them by the distempers of the body. - See the parallel texts on these verses. On reading these and similar passages, say Bp. Lowth, some, who were but little acquainted with the genius of Hebrew poetry, have pretended to enquire into the nature of the disease with which the poet was afflicted; not less absurdly, in my opinion, than if they had perplexed themselves to discover in what river he was plunged, when he complains that "the deep waters had gone over his soul." Psalms 38:7, Psalms 32:3, Isaiah 1:5, Isaiah 1:6, Jeremiah 8:22

Reciprocal: Job 2:8 - took him Job 7:5 - flesh Job 30:18 - By the great Psalms 14:3 - filthy Psalms 109:24 - my flesh Nahum 3:6 - I will cast

Verse 6

troubled: Heb. wearied

bowed: Psalms 35:14, Psalms 42:5, *marg. Psalms 57:6, Psalms 145:14

mourning: Psalms 6:6, Psalms 31:10, Psalms 42:9, Psalms 43:2, Psalms 88:9, Job 30:28, Isaiah 38:14

Reciprocal: Psalms 38:17 - sorrow Psalms 55:2 - I mourn Psalms 116:3 - I found Proverbs 12:25 - Heaviness Luke 13:11 - bowed

Verse 7

my loins: Psalms 41:8, 2 Chronicles 21:18, 2 Chronicles 21:19, Job 7:5, Job 30:18, Acts 12:23

no: Psalms 38:3

Reciprocal: Job 2:8 - took him Psalms 6:2 - for I Psalms 38:5 - My wounds Psalms 78:13 - made Luke 14:21 - the halt

Verse 8

roared: Psalms 22:1, Psalms 22:2, Psalms 32:3, Job 3:24, Job 30:28, Isaiah 59:11

Reciprocal: Psalms 6:3 - My Psalms 44:19 - Though Psalms 102:5 - the voice Romans 7:24 - wretched

Verse 9

Lord: Instead of adonay, "Lord," several manuscripts read yehowah, "Jehovah."

groaning: Psalms 102:5, Psalms 102:20, John 1:48, Romans 8:22, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27, 2 Corinthians 5:2

Reciprocal: Psalms 6:6 - I am Psalms 69:5 - hid Psalms 69:19 - mine Matthew 6:8 - your Luke 8:47 - when 2 Corinthians 7:11 - vehement

Verse 10

heart: Psalms 42:1, Psalms 119:81-83, Psalms 143:4-7, Isaiah 21:4

the light: Psalms 6:7, Psalms 69:3, Psalms 88:9, Psalms 119:123, 1 Samuel 14:27-29, Lamentations 2:11, Lamentations 5:16, Lamentations 5:17

gone from: Heb. not with

Reciprocal: Psalms 31:22 - I am Luke 10:31 - he passed

Verse 11

lovers: Psalms 31:11, Job 6:21-23, Job 19:13-17, Matthew 26:56, John 16:32

stand: Luke 10:31, Luke 10:32

sore: Heb. stroke

kinsmen: or, neighbours

afar off: Luke 22:54, Luke 23:49

Reciprocal: Job 6:15 - My brethren Job 19:14 - kinsfolk Psalms 88:18 - Lover Psalms 102:7 - alone Proverbs 19:7 - the brethren Matthew 26:31 - and the Mark 14:33 - and began Mark 14:50 - General Mark 15:40 - women

Verse 12

lay snares: Psalms 10:9, Psalms 64:2-5, Psalms 119:110, Psalms 140:5, Psalms 141:9, 2 Samuel 17:1-3, Luke 20:19, Luke 20:20

speak: Psalms 35:20, Psalms 62:3, Psalms 62:4, 2 Samuel 16:7, 2 Samuel 16:8, Luke 20:21, Luke 20:22

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 18:21 - a snare 1 Samuel 24:2 - and went 1 Samuel 26:2 - Saul arose Nehemiah 6:8 - thou feignest Psalms 12:2 - They Psalms 35:4 - that Psalms 36:4 - deviseth Psalms 59:3 - they Psalms 63:9 - seek Psalms 119:95 - wicked Psalms 140:2 - imagine Jeremiah 18:22 - and hid Matthew 26:63 - Jesus Mark 12:13 - they send Luke 6:7 - watched John 8:6 - as though 1 Peter 2:23 - when he was

Verse 13

Psalms 39:2, Psalms 39:9, 2 Samuel 16:10-12, Isaiah 53:7, 1 Peter 2:23

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 10:27 - he held his peace 2 Kings 18:36 - held their peace Isaiah 36:21 - General Matthew 27:12 - General Luke 23:9 - but John 19:9 - But

Verse 14

that heareth: Amos 5:13, Micah 7:5, Mark 15:3-5, John 8:6

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:36 - held their peace Psalms 39:2 - I was Matthew 27:12 - General Luke 23:9 - but

Verse 15

in thee: etc. or, thee do I wait for

do: Psalms 39:7, Psalms 123:1-3

hear: or, answer, Psalms 138:3

Lord: Here also, instead of adonay, one hundred and two manuscripts read yehowah, "Jehovah.

Reciprocal: Micah 7:7 - my God

Verse 16

For I said: Psalms 13:3, Psalms 13:4, Psalms 35:24-26

foot: Psalms 94:18, Deuteronomy 32:35

magnify: Psalms 35:26

Reciprocal: Job 19:5 - magnify Psalms 17:5 - that Psalms 27:12 - will Psalms 35:19 - Let Psalms 55:12 - magnify Psalms 73:2 - steps Lamentations 1:21 - they are Lamentations 2:17 - he hath caused Micah 7:8 - Rejoice Zechariah 12:7 - do

Verse 17

to halt: Heb. for halting, Psalms 35:15, *marg. Micah 4:6, Micah 4:7

sorrow: Psalms 38:6, Psalms 6:6, Psalms 77:2, Psalms 77:3, Isaiah 53:3-5

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:31 - he halted Psalms 13:2 - sorrow

Verse 18

For: Psalms 32:5, Psalms 51:3, Job 31:33, Job 33:27, Proverbs 28:13

sorry: 2 Corinthians 7:7-11

Reciprocal: Joshua 7:20 - Indeed Psalms 102:10 - Because Psalms 119:26 - declared Luke 7:38 - weeping Luke 22:62 - and wept

Verse 19

But: Psalms 3:1, Psalms 25:19, Psalms 56:1, Psalms 56:2, Psalms 59:1-3

are lively: etc. Heb. being living are strong, Instead of chaymin, "lively" Bp. Lowth would read chinmon, "without cause" - "but mine enemies without cause have strengthened themselves." As this emendation renders this member of the sentence parallel to the other, it is by no means improbable. See note on Psalms 35:19, Psalms 79:5.

they that: Psalms 35:19, Psalms 69:4, Matthew 10:22, John 15:18-25, Acts 4:25-28

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:4 - hated him Psalms 18:17 - strong Psalms 119:86 - they Psalms 142:6 - for they 1 Peter 2:19 - suffering

Verse 20

render: Psalms 7:4, Psalms 35:12, Psalms 109:3-5, 1 Samuel 19:4-6, 1 Samuel 23:5, 1 Samuel 23:12, 1 Samuel 25:16, 1 Samuel 25:21, Jeremiah 18:20

because: Matthew 5:10, John 10:32, 1 Peter 3:13, 1 Peter 3:17, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Peter 4:14-16, 1 John 3:12

Reciprocal: Psalms 69:4 - being Psalms 109:4 - For my Proverbs 17:13 - General Isaiah 66:5 - Your 1 Thessalonians 5:15 - ever 1 Timothy 6:11 - and Hebrews 12:14 - Follow

Verse 21

O my God: Psalms 22:1, Psalms 22:11, Psalms 22:19, Psalms 22:24, Psalms 35:21, Psalms 35:22

Reciprocal: Psalms 27:9 - leave Psalms 71:12 - O God Psalms 119:8 - O forsake Daniel 6:22 - My God

Verse 22

Make: Psalms 40:13, Psalms 40:17, Psalms 70:1, Psalms 70:5, Psalms 71:12, Psalms 141:1

to help me: Heb. for my help

O Lord: Psalms 27:1, Psalms 62:2, Psalms 62:6, Isaiah 12:2

Reciprocal: Psalms 27:9 - O God Psalms 51:14 - thou God Psalms 119:8 - O forsake