Psalms 38

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

1LORD, please do not scold me while you are angry. Please do not punish me while you are upset.

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

2Your arrows have gone deep into me. Your hand presses down hard on me.

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

3My body is sick all over because you are angry. Even my bones hurt because of my sin.

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

4My sins are piled up over my head. They are like a load too heavy to carry.

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

5My sores smell bad and are full of infection. This happened because I acted foolishly.

NoteThe KJV word "stink" simply means the sores smell bad because they are infected.

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

6I am bent over and pushed low. I walk around sad all day long.

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

7My back burns with pain. There is no healthy place left in my body.

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

8I feel numb and completely crushed. My heart aches, and I cry out loud.

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

9Lord, you know everything I long for. You hear every sound I make when I hurt.

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

10My heart pounds fast. My strength is gone. Even my eyes have grown dim.

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

11The people I love stay away from my sickness. My own family keeps its distance.

12They 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.

12Some people want to kill me and set traps for me. Others want to hurt me. They talk about ruining me and make sneaky plans all day.

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

13But I act like a man who cannot hear. I act like a man who cannot speak.

NoteThe old word "dumb" here means unable to speak. It does not mean unintelligent.

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

14I am like someone who hears nothing at all. I do not say a word back to them.

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

15LORD, I am waiting for you. You will answer me, Lord my God.

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

16I said, "Do not let them laugh at me. They make fun of me when I slip and stumble."

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

17I am about to fall down. My pain never leaves me.

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

18So I will tell God about the wrong I did. I feel very sorry for my sin.

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

19I have many enemies who fight me for no reason. Many people hate me, and they have no cause.

NoteThe KJV says his enemies are "lively," which meant strong and many, not cheerful.

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

20I am good to them, but they are mean to me. They attack me because I try to do what is right.

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

21LORD, please do not leave me alone. My God, please do not stay far away.

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

22Come quickly and help me. Lord, you are the one who saves me.