Psalms 38

David being heavily visited with sickness, or some other great calamity, rehearseth and bemoaneth his woeful condition, caused by his sins, prayers with great anguish unto God for forgiveness, favour and help, laying before him the unfaithfulness of his friends, and the cruelty of his Enemies.

1. (A Psalm) of David, to put in remembrance. [To mind him of the great distress he was in, and the great mercy of the LORD, whereby he was delivered. Compare Psa.131.1. and Osa.63.7.]

2. O LORD, punish me not [Compare Psa.6.] in thy great wrath, [or indignation] and chasten me not in thy fierceness.

3. For thine arrows are descended into me, and thine hand is come down upon me. [By the arrows and the hand of God, he understands his heavy sickness. See hand of God, he understands his heavy sickness. See Deut.32.on v.23. and Job 6.on v.4. Of these he saith they have so hit and seized him, that they did pierce and penetrate deep into him.]

4. There is nothing whole in my flesh, because of thy wrathfulness: there is no peace in my bones, because of my sin. [i.e. there is no rest, no intermission of pain in all my body. Compare Psa.51.on v.10. and 35.on v.10.]

5. For mine iniquities go over mine head. [Like waves and billowes, going over and covering a mans head: as Psa.42.8. Thus the Prophets exaggerates his sins, together with the punishments thereof. Compare Psa.40.13.] as a heavy burden, they are grown too heavy for me.

6. My mattery boils do stink, thy are rotten, because of my folly. [Or inconsiderateness, unadvisedness, improvidence, whereby he understands his sins and infirmities. Compare v.4. and Psa.96.6.]

7. I am grown crooked, [Or mishappen, deformed] I am bowed down out of measure: I go in black all the day. [See Psa.35.on v.14. this may be understood both of outward mourning tokens in apparel, and the inward sorrow of the heart, or black, in regard of the disfiguredness of his body, by reason of his sickness.]

8. For my entrail are full of despicable (plagues;) [Oth. Burning, as if they were roasted, and thereby shrunk and withered] and there is nothing whole in my flesh.

9. I am weakedened and out of measure bruised: I roar [Cry mightily like a lion] because of the stir of my heart. [Or the roaring, i.e. even as a lion or the sea roars (as also the Hebrew word is taken, Isa.5.30.) so is my heart very disquiet and boisterous within me Oth. The sighting of my, etc.]

10. LORD, before thee, is all my desire: and my sighting is not hid before thee.

11. My heart turns quite about: [Or beateth] my power hath forsaken me [Compare Psa.40.13.] and the light of mine eyes, yea they themselves are not with me. [he meaneth, that his sight was so spoiled, that it was with him, as if in a manner, he had no eyes at all. Or understand by they themselves the faculty and the light of his eyes.]

12. My Lovers and my Friends stand from over against my plague, [i.e. they keep themselves aloof off, looking upon my misery at distance, as afar off, which makes some to conceive that it was the pestilence, or some other vile or infectious disease] and my near kindred stand afar off.

13. No text on verse.

14. I on the contrary am as a deaf (one) I hear not and as a dumb (one) (that) openeth not his mouth.

15. Yea I am as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth there are no gain-sayings. [Or replies; as if I were guilty altogether, and had nothing at all to plead for my self.]

16. For in thee LORD do I hope: thou wilt bear LORD my God.

17. For I said, [viz. By my self, that is, I thought, or I said, viz. In my payer unto thee] let them not rejoice over me (I pray) if my foot should waver, then would they magnify themselves against me. [As Psa.35.26. See the annot there.]

18. For I am ready to halt: Seeing it is thus with me, that in all human appearance I must even faint under this burden, if it continue any longer upon me; it is so much the more needful, that thou help me now, not to give any cause of rejoice to mine Enemies. Compare Psa.35.v.15. and Job 12:5. with the annot.] and my pain is ever before me.

19. For I make known unto (thee) mine iniquity: I am grieved because of my sin.

20. But mine Enemies are living, grow mighty: [Or grow still living, mighty, his meaning is, the whiles that I am encumbered with grief and pain, they live in prosperity and pleasure, unmolested, growing fat, big and strong, as David elsewhere often complaineth] and they that hate me for false causes, grow great [or multiply.]

21. And they that requite evil for good, stand against me, [Like Satans, which name the Devil hath from the Hebrew word here used. Compare 2 Sam.19.on v.22. and See Job 1.v.6.] because I pursue good.

22. For sake me not, O LORD my God be not far from me.

23. Make hast to my help: LORD my salvation.