Psalm 38

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

1 O LORD, do not a rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.
6 I am 1 troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.

9 Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends b stand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.

12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.

13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth is no response.

15 For 2 in You, O LORD, c I hope;
You will 3 hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, "Hear me, lest they rejoice over me,
Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me."

17 d For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will e declare my iniquity;
I will be f in 4 anguish over my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong;
And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
20 Those also g who render evil for good,
They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.

21 Do not forsake me, O LORD;
O my God, h be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

  1. Cross References
    Psalms 6:1
    O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 31:11
    I am a reproach among all my enemies, But especially among my neighbors, And am repulsive to my acquaintances; Those who see me outside flee from me.
    Psalms 88:18
    Loved one and friend You have put far from me, And my acquaintances into darkness.
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 39:7
    And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 51:3
    For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
  5. Cross References
    Psalms 32:5
    I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
  6. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 7:9
    Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
    2 Corinthians 7:10
    For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 35:12
    They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 22:19
    But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
    Psalms 35:22
    This You have seen, O LORD; Do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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