By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
By reason of the voice of my groaning. What is here said of the complaining sufferer is in Psalms 102:20 said of Zion, whom he represents, as being her king (cf. Psalms 31:10; Psalms 32:3).
My bones cleave to my skin - (cf. Job 19:20, note.) Translate, 'my bones cleave to my flesh:' as all the old versions have it. I am so weak and relaxed that my bones hang on the flesh void of all their agility and power: contrast Isaiah 58:11; Isaiah 66:14. Compare as to the tongue cleaving to the jaws, Job 29:10; Psalms 22:15; Psalms 137:6 (Gejer). In Lamentations 4:8, "their skin cleaveth to their bones:" the Hebrew for "skin" is different. Muis takes it as meaning, I am so emaciated that the flesh is consumed away, and I am but skin and bone (Psalms 22:17). But if this were the sense, why is 'flesh' mentioned as still on him, and not rather "skin?"