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Psalm 38
New International Version

### Psalm 38[a]

#### A psalm of David. A petition.

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(A)
2 Your arrows(B)have pierced me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health(C)in my body;
there is no soundness in my bones(D)because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed(E)me
like a burden too heavy to bear.(F)

5 My wounds(G)fester and are loathsome(H)
because of my sinful folly.(I)
6 I am bowed down(J)and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning.(K)
7 My back is filled with searing pain;(L)
there is no health(M)in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;(N)
I groan(O)in anguish of heart.(P)

9 All my longings(Q)lie open before you, Lord;
my sighing(R)is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(S)my strength fails(T)me;
even the light has gone from my eyes.(U)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(V)
my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(W)
those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(X)
all day long they scheme and lie.(Y)

13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(Z)
like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(AA)for you;
you will answer,(AB)Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(AC)
or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(AD)

17 For I am about to fall,(AE)
and my pain(AF)is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(AG)
I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(AH)without cause[b];
those who hate me(AI)without reason(AJ)are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(AK)
lodge accusations(AL)against me,
though I seek only to do what is good.

21 Lord, do not forsake me;(AM)
do not be far(AN)from me, my God.
22 Come quickly(AO)to help me,(AP)
my Lord and my Savior.(AQ)

#### Footnotes

1. Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
2. Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Textmy vigorous enemies

#### Cross references

1. Psalm 38:1:Ps 6:1
2. Psalm 38:2:S Job 6:4
3. Psalm 38:3:Pr 3:8; 4:22
4. Psalm 38:3:S Job 33:19
5. Psalm 38:4:Ps 40:12; 65:3
6. Psalm 38:4:S Nu 11:14; S Ezr 9:6; Lk 11:46
7. Psalm 38:5:ver 11; Ps 147:3
8. Psalm 38:5:Job 19:17
9. Psalm 38:5:Ps 69:5; Pr 5:23; 12:23; 13:16; Ecc 10:3
10. Psalm 38:6:Ps 57:6; 145:14; 146:8
11. Psalm 38:6:S Ps 35:14
12. Psalm 38:7:S Job 14:22
13. Psalm 38:7:ver 3
14. Psalm 38:8:Ps 34:18; Pr 17:22
15. Psalm 38:8:S Ps 6:6; 22:1; Pr 5:11
16. Psalm 38:8:S Ps 6:3
17. Psalm 38:9:Ps 119:20; 143:7
18. Psalm 38:9:S Job 3:24
19. Psalm 38:10:S Job 37:1
20. Psalm 38:10:S Ps 31:10
21. Psalm 38:10:S Ps 6:7; S 19:8; 88:9
22. Psalm 38:11:S ver 5
23. Psalm 38:12:Ps 31:4; 140:5; 141:9
24. Psalm 38:12:Ps 35:4; 41:5
25. Psalm 38:12:S Ps 35:20
26. Psalm 38:13:Ps 115:6; 135:17; Isa 43:8; Mk 7:37
27. Psalm 38:15:Ps 27:14
28. Psalm 38:15:Ps 17:6
29. Psalm 38:16:S Ps 22:17
30. Psalm 38:16:S Dt 32:35
31. Psalm 38:17:S Ps 37:24
32. Psalm 38:17:ver 7; S Job 6:10
33. Psalm 38:18:S Lev 26:40
34. Psalm 38:19:S Ps 18:17
35. Psalm 38:19:S Ps 25:19
36. Psalm 38:19:S Ps 35:19
37. Psalm 38:20:S Ge 44:4; 1Jn 3:12
38. Psalm 38:20:Ps 54:5; 59:10; 119:23
39. Psalm 38:21:Ps 27:9; 71:18; 119:8
40. Psalm 38:21:S Ps 10:1; S 22:11; 35:22; 71:12
41. Psalm 38:22:S Ps 22:19
42. Psalm 38:22:Ps 40:13
43. Psalm 38:22:S 1Ch 16:35

New International Version(NIV)

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