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Psalm Thirty-eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 38
A Psalm of David
to bring to remembrance. This psalm
was composed by David under some sore affliction
and when in great distress of
mind by reason of sin
perhaps his sin with Bathsheba; and was written as a
memorial of his sense of sin
of his great afflictions
and deliverance from
them; and therefore is said to be "to bring to remembrance"
or to
refresh his memory with the said things. Kimchi and Ben Melech think the psalm
was made for the sake of such as are in distress
to put them in mind and teach
them how to pray. The Targum calls the psalm
"a
good remembrance concerning Israel;'
and
Jarchi says it was to remember the distress of Israel before the Lord
and that
it is said with respect to all Israel; though others think the word
"lehazcir" is the name of a psalm tune; and Aben Ezra was of opinion
that it was the first word of some pleasant poem. The Septuagint version adds
"concerning
the sabbath
'
as
if it was wrote to put persons in mind of that day; whereas there is nothing in
the whole psalm that has any such tendency.
Psalm 38:1 O
Lord
do not rebuke
me in Your wrath
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
YLT
1A Psalm of David
`To cause
to remember.' Jehovah
in Thy wrath reprove me not
Nor in Thy fury chastise
me.
O Lord
rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot
displeasure
.... This and the following clause are the same as in Psalm 6:1
only
instead of wrath there it is anger; See Gill on Psalm 6:1.
Psalm 38:2 2 For Your arrows pierce me
deeply
And Your hand presses me down.
YLT
2For Thine arrows have come
down on me
And Thou lettest down upon me Thy hand.
For thine arrows stick fast in me
.... Meaning either words
with which as a father the Lord rebuked him; and which were sharp and cutting
entered into him and abode with him
and gave him much pain and uneasiness; and
by which he concluded that his rebukes were in wrath and hot displeasure; such
as those in 2 Samuel 12:11; so
the words of men are compared to arrows
Psalm 57:4 or
outward afflictions
attended with inward trouble of soul; for as judgments are
the arrows of God
such as famine
pestilence
&c. Ezekiel 5:16
Deuteronomy 32:21;
so the chastening dispensations of Providence
under which the people of God
themselves are
are so called
because they oftentimes come swiftly
suddenly
and at unawares
and are very pungent and distressing; and sometimes stick fast
and continue long
by reason of which they are inwardly wounded
and conceive
of God as sorely displeased with them; see Job 6:4;
and thy hand presseth me sore; the afflicting hand of
God
which lay heavy upon him; and is a mighty hand when laid on such worms as
mortal sinful men are
who cannot bear up under it
unless they have divine
supports; see Job 19:21. This is
by some supposed to be some bodily disease inflicted on him; some have thought
of the leprosy
which was a stroke from the hand of God; but this is not
likely
since he must have been deposed and shut up; the Jews indeed sayF5In
R. Obadiah in loc. that he was a leper six months
and that the divine Presence
was taken from him; a late learned manF6De Laney's Life of King
David
vol. 2. p. 146. thinks it was the smallpox
from the unsoundness of his
flesh
the soreness of the disease
the stench of it
temporary blindness
and
his friends standing aloof from him; though perhaps no other than affliction of
mired for sin
comparable to the disease described
is meant.
Psalm 38:3 3 There is
no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger
Nor any health in my
bones Because of my sin.
YLT
3Soundness is not in my
flesh
Because of Thine indignation
Peace is not in my bones because of my
sin.
There is no soundness
in my flesh
because of thine anger
.... Such was the nature
of the affliction the psalmist laboured under
and which he took to be an
effect of the anger of God towards him
that the whole frame of nature was
affected with it
and from the crown of the head to
the soles of the feet
there was no health or soundness
as in Isaiah 1:6; where
the same word is used as here; some think the wordF7אין מ־תאם "non superest
amplius ulla forma seu figura hominis"
Amama; so Joseph Kimchi. here used
has the signification of man; and that the sense is
that through
the violence
of the distemper he had not so much
as the form of a man
as his antitype in Isaiah 52:14; and
as this led him to a view of his sins
as the cause of his affliction
he was
so far from thinking himself sound and whole
or perfect in a spiritual sense
that he saw he was all over diseased with sin
and that in his flesh dwelt no
good thing;
neither is there any rest in my bones
because of my sin; or
"peace"F8אין שלום
"non (est) pax"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Tigurine version
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Musculus
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis; so
Ainsworth. there; sin breaks the believer's rest
and disturbs his peace; nor
can he
in a view of it
find any rest in himself
nor in any creature
nor in
any service or duty
only in Jesus Christ
his blood
righteousness
and
sacrifice.
Psalm 38:4 4 For my iniquities have
gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
YLT
4For mine iniquities have
passed over my head
As a heavy burden -- too heavy for me.
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head
.... Like an
inundation of waters
as the waves and billows of the sea; for the waters to
come up to the neck or chin shows great danger; but when they go over the head
the case is desperate
and a person is sinking and drowning; compare with this Psalm 69:1; the
simile may denote both the number and weight of sins
and also signifies the
overwhelming distress the psalmist was in
under a view of them;
as an heavy burden
they are too heavy for me; the guilt of
sin upon the conscience
without a view of pardon
lies heavy indeed
and makes
a man a burden to himself
as it did Job
Job 7:20; yea
sin
is not only grieving and afflicting to pardoned ones
and who know they are
pardoned
but it is a burden to them under which they groan; nor is it possible
for any so to bear it as to satisfy and make atonement for it; none but Christ
could ever do this
and he has done it; nor is there any relief for burdened souls
but by looking to a sin bearing and sin atoning Saviour
and by casting the
burden upon him
who invites them to him for rest.
Psalm 38:5 5 My wounds are foul and
festering Because of my foolishness.
YLT
5Stunk -- become corrupt
have my wounds
Because of my folly.
My wounds stink
and are corrupt
.... Meaning
his sins
which had wounded him
and for which there is no healing but in a
wounded Saviour
and by his stripes we are healed
Isaiah 53:5; where
the same word is used as here; Christ's black and blue stripes and wounds
as
the word signifies
are the healing of ours
both of sins
and of the effects
of them; which
to a sensible sinner
are as nauseous and loathsome as an old
wound that is festered and corrupt;
because of my foolishness: as all sin arises from
foolishness
which is bound in the hearts of men
and from whence it arises
Mark 7:22; perhaps
the psalmist may have respect to his folly with Bathsheba
which had been the
occasion of all the distress that is spoken of both before and afterwards.
Psalm 38:6 6 I am troubled
I am bowed
down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
YLT
6I have been bent down
I
have been bowed down -- unto excess
All the day I have gone mourning.
I am troubled
.... Discomposed and perplexed in mind; his
thoughts were disturbed and irregular
and in the utmost confusion and
distress: this trouble was not only on account of the affliction that was upon
him
but chiefly because of his sin; and which was increased by the view he had
of the displeasure of God
concluding he was come forth against him in wrath
and fury;
I am bowed down greatly; not in his body
at
least not in that only
as if he was bowed together by his disorder
that he
could not lift himself up; for he is said to walk in the next clause: or rather
he bowed down his head as a bulrush voluntarily
and through sorrow and shame
could not lift it up before the Lord; though it may chiefly design the pressure
of his mind
that his soul was cast down within him
and with all his spiritual
reasonings he could not erect himself; it is the Lord that raiseth up those
that are bowed down in this sense; see Psalm 42:5;
I go mourning all the day long; or "I go
black"
or "in black"F9קודר
"atratus"
Montanus
Tigurine version
Vatablus
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis. ; meaning either that his
skin was black
through the disease upon him
and the trouble that was in him
Job 30:30; or that
he was clothed in black garments
as a token of mourning; as white garments
were of joy and cheerfulness
Ecclesiastes 9:7;
and he was blacker still in his own apprehension
by reason of inward
corruptions and outward transgressions
which appeared in a very black hue
attended with aggravating circumstances; see Song of Solomon 1:5.
Psalm 38:7 7 For my loins are full of
inflammation
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
YLT
7For my flanks have been
full of drought
And soundness is not in my flesh.
For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease
.... The word
here used has the signification of burningF11R. Joseph Kimchi &
Abendana נקלה "ardore"
Pagninus
Vatablus;
"ardens ulcus"
Musculus
so some in Vatablus; "tostione"
Piscator; "adustione"
Gejerus; so the Targum; "adusto"
Gussetius
Ebr. Comment. p. 742. ; and the Targum renders it
"my loins
are filled with burning"; a burning fever was upon him
or there was an
inflammation in those parts; a hot burning ulcer
which might be nauseous; and
so was true in both senses. Aben Ezra interprets it abominable and vile;
something not fit to be mentioned; and so Kimchi and Ben Melech. The word is
rendered sometimes "lightly esteemed"; as in 1 Samuel 18:23; and
Jarchi thinks it has this sense here; and the meaning is
that he was vile in
his own eyes
and mean in his own esteem. Doubtless the psalmist has reference
to something more than a bodily disease; at least not to that only
but to the
disease of his soul also
sin
which has the nature of a disease; it is an
hereditary one
which is derived from one to another by propagation; it is
universal
and reaches to all men
and to all the parts of the body and powers
of the soul; it is a complication of disorders: it is in its own nature mortal
and ever incurable but by Christ; and
as here
it is a loathsome one; it is
loathsome to God
and to all sensible sinners: and when the psalmist says his
loins were filled with it
it may signify that it was an internal disorder that
was in him; sin that dwelt in him
a law in his members; and may denote the
aboundings of sin in him
the swarms of corruptions that were in him; as also
the pain it gave him
and the quick sense he had of it;
and there is no soundness in my flesh: which is
repeated
see Psalm 38:3; partly
for confirmation's sake
and partly to show the continued sense of it
as
persons under a disorder are continually making mention of it.
Psalm 38:8 8 I am feeble and severely
broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
YLT
8I have been feeble and
smitten -- unto excess
I have roared from disquietude of heart.
I am feeble
.... Both in body
natural strength being weakened by the
affliction
and dried up like a potsherd by the heat of the distemper; and in
soul
being weak in the exercise of faith and other graces. The word is used of
Jacob
fainting at and disbelieving the news of his son Joseph being alive
Genesis 45:26;
and sore broken; in his constitution with the disease
and
in his mind with trouble; especially for his sin
and under a sense of the
divine displeasure; his bones were broken by his fall
and his heart broken
with a sense of sin
Psalm 51:8;
I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart: which was
like the raging of the sea
as the wordF12מנהמת
"prae fremitu"
Tigurine version
Vatablus
Junius & Tremellius
Gejerus
so Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis. rendered disquietness here
signifies; and to which the uneasiness and restlessness of wicked men is
sometimes compared
Isaiah 5:30; and so
great was the disquietude of this good man under affliction
and sense of sin
and wrath
that he had no rest night nor day; and could not forbear crying out
in a very hideous manner
like the roaring of a lion.
Psalm 38:9 9 Lord
all my desire is
before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.
YLT
9Lord
before Thee [is] all
my desire
And my sighing from Thee hath not been hid.
Lord
all my desire is before thee
.... To be
delivered from his afflictions
to have a discovery and application of
pardoning grace
and to have communion with his God: the desire of his soul was
unto these things; and it was some satisfaction to him that it was before the
Lord
and known unto him
before whom all things are naked and open;
and my groaning is not hid from thee; under the
weight of his affliction
the burden of his sin
and which he expressed in
prayer to the Lord
and which is often done with groanings which cannot be
uttered: but even these are known and understood by the Lord.
Psalm 38:10 10 My heart pants
my
strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes
it also has gone from me.
YLT
10My heart [is] panting
my
power hath forsaken me
And the light of mine eyes
Even they are not with me.
My heart panteth
.... Or "goes about"F13סחרחר "circuivit"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus.
; runs here and there
and finds no rest; as Aben Ezra interprets the word from
the Targum he cites; though the Targum we have renders it
"my heart
shakes with fear"
or dread
as persons in a fever. Jarchi interprets the
word
surrounded with grief; it denotes the panting or palpitation of the
heart
through sorrow and dread
and the failing of it
even as at death;
my strength faileth me
or "forsakes
me"F14עזבני "dereliquit
me"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Musculus
Cocceius. ; bodily strength and spiritual strength; the strength of faith
hope
and confidence;
as for the light of mine eyes
it also is gone from me; which is
often the case of persons under bodily disorders
their eyes grow dim
and
sight fails them; and this might be true in a spiritual sense of the psalmist
who had lost sight of God as his covenant God; of his interest in his love
in
the blessings of his grace
and in eternal salvation
and was walking in
darkness
and saw no light.
Psalm 38:11 11 My loved ones and my
friends stand aloof from my plague
And my relatives stand afar off.
YLT
11My lovers and my friends
over-against my plague stand. And my neighbours afar off have stood.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore
.... As if it
was a plague sore
lest they should be infected with it; or because they could
not bear the stench of his wounds
and the loathsomeness of his disease
or to
see him in his agonies
and hear his roaring and his groans
Psalm 38:2; or as
taking his case to be desperate
as if he was just dying
and no help could be
given him
Psalm 38:10; If it
was the leprosy
as some Jewish writers have affirmed
the word נגע
translated "sore"
being used for the plague
of the leprosy
they were obliged by the ceremonial law to keep at a distance
from him: but this rather seems to be voluntary
and to proceed from neglect
and contempt. These "lovers" and "friends" were such for
whom David had had an affection
and had been friendly to
and therefore it was
ungrateful in them to act the part they did; and such who had pretended love
and friendship to him in his health and prosperity
but now had deserted him
which is a common case; see Job 19:13.
Afflictions try men's friends; and as that is a time when friendly visits are
most wanting and most useful
so it is an aggravation of the affliction
and
makes it the heavier when such are denied;
and my kinsmen stand afar off; that were near to him by
the ties of nature or friendship.
Psalm 38:12 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.
YLT
12And those seeking my soul
lay a snare
And those seeking my evil Have spoken mischievous things
And they
do deceits meditate all the day.
They also that seek after my life
.... His avowed and
implacable enemies
whom nothing would satisfy but the taking away of his life:
these came too near him; for these
he says
lay snares for me
as Satan does for the
souls of men
as the Jews did for Christ
and as wicked men do for the saints
Psalm 124:7;
and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things; to the injury
of his character and reputation:
and imagine deceits all the day long; contrive
artful schemes to deceive; see Psalm 35:20.
Psalm 38:13 13 But I
like a deaf man
do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
YLT
13And I
as deaf
hear not.
And as a dumb one who openeth not his mouth.
But I
as a deaf man
heard not
.... He acted
the part of a deaf man
and made as if he did not hear the mischievous things
his enemies spoke; as Saul
when the sons of Belial spoke against him and
despised him
1 Samuel 10:27; and
as our Lord when his enemies accused him
Matthew 27:12;
and I was as a dumb man
that openeth not his mouth; made no reply
to what they said
and did not render railing for railing; in which Christ was
the antitype of him
Isaiah 53:7.
Psalm 38:14 14 Thus I am like a man who
does not hear
And in whose mouth is no response.
YLT
14Yea
I am as a man who
heareth not
And in his mouth are no reproofs.
Thus I was as a man that heareth not
.... Any thing
that is said unto him; he took no more notice of it than if he had never heard
it; but bore all the railings and calumnies of men with calmness and patience;
and in whose mouth are no reproofs; as if he had
nothing to say for himself
in vindication of his character
and to the
refutation of his enemies; as if he had no arguments to make use of
for the
conviction and reproof of his adversaries.
Psalm 38:15 15 For in You
O Lord
I hope; You
will hear
O Lord my God.
YLT
15Because for Thee
O
Jehovah
I have waited
Thou dost answer
O Lord my God.
For in thee
O Lord
do I hope
.... That he would plead
his cause against his accusers and revilers
and who sought his hurt; that he
should be delivered out of their hands
and out of all his afflictions; that he
should be healed of his diseases
both of soul and body
under which he
laboured; and should again enjoy the light of God's countenance
and have the
discoveries of his pardoning grace and mercy; and this was the reason why he
was so calm and quiet amidst the unkindnesses of his friends
and the cruel
usage of his enemies;
thou wilt hear
or "answer"
O Lord my God; in the midst of all his distresses of body
and mind
he had not given up his interest in God
as his God and Father; which
is the great blessing of the covenant of grace
and which ever continues; and
is the great support of believers
under whatsoever they meet with in soul and
body
from friends or foes; this his God the psalmist believed would not only
hear his cries in his sore distress
but hear the reproaches of his enemies
and answer them in a providential way in his own time
by terrible things in
righteousness to their conviction and confusion; and therefore he himself was
silent.
Psalm 38:16 16 For I said
“Hear me
lest they rejoice over me
Lest
when my foot slips
they exalt themselves
against me.”
YLT
16When I said
`Lest they
rejoice over me
In the slipping of my foot against me they magnified
themselves.
For I said
hear me
.... This he had
expressed in prayer to God; he had committed his cause to him
and entreated
him that he would hear and answer him; giving this as a reason
lest otherwise they should rejoice over me; at his
misfortunes and calamities
at the continuance of his trouble and distress
both of body and mind;
when my foot slippeth; as it sometimes did
through the corruptions of nature
the temptations of Satan
and the snares of
the world; which is more or less the case of all the people of God
who are all
subject to slips and falls
though they shall not finally and totally fall
away;
they magnify themselves against me; that is
his
enemies exulted and triumphed over him: this was what he found by experience;
and therefore makes use of it as an argument with God
that he would hear and
answer and deliver him out of his trouble
and preserve him from falling.
Psalm 38:17 17 For I am ready to
fall
And my sorrow is continually before me.
YLT
17For I am ready to halt
And
my pain [is] before me continually.
For I am ready to halt
.... Meaning either that
there was a proneness in him to sin; see Jeremiah 20:10; or
that he was subject to affliction and adversity
as the same word is rendered
in Psalm 35:15; and
the words are either a reason and argument used with the Lord
to hear and keep
his foot from slipping
that so his enemies might not rejoice over him
and
magnify themselves against him; as they would do should he fall into sin or
into any calamity
both which he was liable to: or they are a reason why he was
so calm and quiet under the ill usage he met with from friends and enemies
because he was "ready for halting"
or "prepared"F15נכון V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis. for it; he considered that he was born for trouble and adversity;
that God had appointed him to it
and it was appointed for him
and therefore
he was quiet under it; see Job 5:6; he was
prepared to meet it; he expected it
it being the common lot of God's people;
and therefore when it came upon him it was no strange thing to him. The
Septuagint version
and those that follow that
render the words
"I am
ready for scourges"; and Jerom applies them to Christ
who was ready to
undergo scourges
sufferings
and death itself
for his people;
and my sorrow is continually before me; that is
for
his sin
which was ever before him
stared him in the face
lay heavy on his
conscience
and appeared very terrible and loathsome to him; his sorrow for it
was without intermission
and was a godly sorrow
a sorrow for sin
as
committed against a God of love
grace
and mercy: or he may mean
that his
affliction
which was grievous to him
was continually upon him night and day:
our Lord himself
David's antitype
was a man of sorrows all his days.
Psalm 38:18 18 For I will declare my
iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.
YLT
18For mine iniquity I
declare
I am sorry for my sin.
For I will declare mine iniquity
.... Either to men
to
ease his mind
justify God in his proceedings with him
and for their caution
and admonition: or rather to God
against whom he had sinned
and who only
could pardon him; with a view to which he was determined to make a free and
open confession of it before him:
I will be sorry for my sin
or "careful"F16אדאג "solicitus ero"
Montanus; so Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Gejerus
Michaelis
Ainsworth. about it; that is
how he
committed it for the future: true repentance for sin produces a carefulness to
abstain from all appearance of it; see 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Psalm 38:19 19 But my enemies are
vigorous
and they are strong; And those who hate me wrongfully have
multiplied.
YLT
19And mine enemies [are]
lively
They have been strong
and those hating me without cause
Have been
multiplied.
But mine enemies are lively
.... Or
"living"F17חיים
"viventes"
Pagninus
Montanus
Musculus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius. or "live"; not in a spiritual sense; for they had
no lively hope
nor living faith
but were dead in trespasses and sins; nor
merely in a natural sense
or corporeally
so David was living himself; but in
great prosperity and worldly happiness
and so were brisk and cheerful
and
lived a merry and pleasent life;
and they are strong; not only hale
and robust in body
but abounded in riches and wealth
which are the strength
of wicked men;
and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied; that is
such
as hated him without a cause
and made lies and falsehoods the reasons of it:
these increased in numbers
or in their outward state and circumstances; see Psalm 73:4.
Psalm 38:20 20 Those also who render evil
for good
They are my adversaries
because I follow what is good.
YLT
20And those paying evil for
good accuse me
Because of my pursuing good.
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries
.... See Gill
on Psalm 35:12;
because I follow the thing that good is; or
"follow good"; a good God
whom his soul followed hard after
Psalm 63:8; the
good Shepherd of the sheep
who led him into green pastures
whither he followed
him
Psalm 23:1; the
good Spirit of God his guide
whom he walked after
Romans 8:1; good
and holy men of God
whom he took for examples and copied after; and every good
work
which he pursued with eagerness and pleasure; and all this drew upon him
the hatred of his adversaries.
Psalm 38:21 21 Do not forsake me
O Lord; O my God
be
not far from me!
YLT
21Do not forsake me
O
Jehovah
My God
be not far from me
Forsake me not
O Lord
.... Or continue not to
forsake; for he seems to have been under divine desertion
and might be under
apprehensions that God had utterly forsaken him; which he entreats he would
not
though his friends had forsook him
and his own strength had failed and
left him
Psalm 38:10;
O my God
be not far from me; as to his gracious
presence
and with respect to help and deliverance
otherwise God is not far
from any of his creatures
being omnipresent.
Psalm 38:22 22 Make haste to help me
O
Lord
my salvation!
YLT
22Haste to help me
O Lord
my salvation!
Make haste and help me
.... Or
"for my
help"; his case required haste
and God does help his people when none
else can
and that right early;
O Lord
my salvation; by which it appears that
his prayer was a prayer of faith; he saw that his salvation was in the Lord
and in no other; and though he had been and was in such a low condition
both
in soul and body
yet his faith was not lost; that is an abiding grace
and
will continue under the influence of the author and finisher of it
until the end
of it is received
the salvation of the soul. R. MosesF18In Aben
Ezra & R. Joseph Kimchi in R. David Kimchi in loc. thinks the phrase
"make haste" is to be repeated here
and read thus
"make haste
O Lord
to my salvation".
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》