Psalms 38:1-22 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

This Ps. may be compared with Psalms 6. It is the prayer of one who, like Job, is in great bodily suffering (Psalms 38:1-10), and is also deserted by his friends (Psalms 38:11), and beset by treacherous enemies (Psalms 38:12; Psalms 38:19-20). He is conscious that his trouble is due to bis sin (Psalms 38:4; Psalms 38:18), and appeals trustfully to God for pardon, healing, and deliverance. The description of personal suffering is too minute for a purely national Ps. It has been suggested that the author, if not David, may have been Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 20). This is another of the Pss. for Ash Wednesday.

Title.—The phrase 'to bring to remembrance' probably indicates that the Ps. was used in connexion with the offering of the 'memorial' of incense (Isaiah 66:3 mg), or of the shewbread with incense (Leviticus 24:7), or of the meat offering with incense (Leviticus 2:2).

Related Commentaries of Psalms 38:1

Psalms 38:1-22

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any resta in my bones because of my sin.

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

5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

6 I am troubled;b I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

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

9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gonec from me.

11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore;d and my kinsmen stand afar off.

12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

17 For I am ready to halt,e and my sorrow is continually before me.

18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

21 Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.