Psalms 38
PATtransgress them; that though the former may meet with some troubles for a time, yet, if they do not make him forsake his integrity, nor in any thing swerve from his duty, he shall in the issue be very prosperous and happy. A Psalm of David, to bring to Remembrance. ARGUMENT* This Psalm was composed by David, either during his affliction, to desire God graciously to remember him (as the title of it is), and send him deliverance, or afterward, to put himself in remembrance of the moans he made when he was in that sad condition; and how earnest he then was with God, to pardon all the sins which had brought him into it, and to release him out of it; and what hope and confidence he then had in God, which might encourage him and all others to place the like humble trust in his goodness for the time to come. What the aflliction was, is not so certain as it may seem at first sight. It is generally thought he was sick, and that of some noisome, ulcerous disease; as, in the beginning of the Psalm, several expressions, if they be taken literally, plainly enough denote. But he presently falling into a doleful complaint of the malignity of his enemies, and the coldness of his friends’ affection towards him; it is thought not improbable by others, that he describes the crazy condition he was in (under the persecution of Saul) by the languishmcnt of a sick man under some dangerous disease. And thus Tbeodoret understands it: only he supposes that he reflects upon the disastrous things that befel him after he came to the crown; by the murder of his son Amnon, the rebellion of Absalom, the falseness of Ahithophcl,the abusive reproaches of Shimei, and all the other afflictions, mentioned in his history, which were sent by God upon him for the.cure of his sins. And this sense we must follow; or else say, he was at the very same time sick of a grievous disease,,>vhen he laboured under one of those peryob. in. secutions. And since the Psalm will be of larger use, if we so interpret it, I shall follow that conjecture. So I call it, because we do not read of any sickness David had; nor are we certain what the particular sins were Avhich he bewails in so sad amanner, that it hath raado this be called one of the penitential Psalms, beginning just as the first of them doth, Psalm vi.
Psalms 38:1
\J LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath; neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.*. Lord, I am sorely afflicted; and it is but just I should be so. Yet let me prevail with thee for so much mercy, as not to proceed to any farther severity: or if thou dost, yet still to mitigate it with some favour, that I may not suffer in the utmost extremity,
Psalms 38:2
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. For (beside the trouble which my enemies give me without) the pains I already endure in my body are exceeding sharp, and touch me to the very quick: thou hast inflicted on me a heavy punishment, which presses me down to the ground.;
Psalms 38:3
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. There is no part of my body but feels the sad effects of thy displeasure, which my sins have so provoked, that I am in perpetual pain, without any intermission. Ven 4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.] They havfc brought a great number of evils upon me, which like a’deluge have overwhelmed me; and lie upon me as an intolerable burden, under which I am ready to sink, unless thou support me.
Psalms 38:5
My wounds stink, and are corrupt, becauseofmy foolishness. I am full of ulcers, and they are full of.putrefied matter, which grows noisome and offensive to.me; as a just reward of my folly, whereby, to satisfy my unreasonable desires, I have inconsiderately offended thee, (2 Sam. xi. 2—4.)
Psalms 38:6
lam troubled; I am bowed down greatly: I go mourning all the day long,. I am not able to go. upright, being grown crooked beyond measure: the posture of a mourner, who goes, or rather creeps, softly, and bowed down, is mine continually*
Psalms 38:7
For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease; and there is no soundness in my flesh. Fiery biles break out. in the parts about my loins: and though there be so many; of them, that one would think all the ill humours were run thither; yet, in the rest of my body, as I said before, there is no part but is out of order.
Psalms 38:8
I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. I am exceedingly weak, and worn away with pain and grief; wherewith my heart is so perpetually tormented, that 1 roar, rather than sigh, and groan and cry under the apparent anguish of it.
Psalms 38:9
Lordy.allmy desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. But why do I complain in this manner, and make such a particular enumeration of my sufferings? thou, Lord, understandest what I want, and what I would have: though I should say never a word, all my miseries, and the sighs thoy have cost me., are not unknown to thee.
Psalms 38:10
My heart panteth, my strengthfaileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Thou seest. 10G [psalm XXXIX. the great agitation ofiny mind, which wanders up and down in restless thought, but all to no purpose; for my strength hath forsaken me: the light of my eyes is so weak, that I can scarce mako any use of them.
Psalms 38:11
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. And if I could, I should see “none of those whom one would expect, in such a condition, to come and comfort me, (2 Sam. xv. 31.) For I am deserted by those who professed great love to me: yea, they with whom I contracted a friendship and intimate familiarity neglect me; and such whom nature hath inclined to pity and relieve me keep at a distance, and give me no assistance in my affliction.
Psalms 38:12
They 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. Meanwhile my enemies are very busy, and employ all their subtilty to find a way how to make an end of this miserable life of mine: they discourse^ nothing else but what mischief they may do me; and what they cannot do by force, they are continually contriving how to compass by fraud and deceit.
Psalms 38:13
But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. I wanted not information how they calumniated me; but was so oppressed with the weight of my other. afflictions, and of those sins which have brought them upon me, that I took no notice of it: but lay as if I were deaf, and heard not what they said; or dumb, and could not make an answer.
Psalms 38:14
Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. I was as silent, I say, as if I knew nothing of their false accusations; or as if I were not able to confute them.
Psalms 38:15
For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, Lord my God. For, notwithstanding all my sins, and thy sore displeasure which I feel against them, I have a good hope in thee, O Lord, that thou wilt plead my cause. 1 leave them therefore to thee, Lord, who art the righteous judge; and as thou hast in justice afflicted me, so wilt thou, I doubt not, make them know that they have wrongfully charged me.
Psalms 38:16
For I said, Hear me; lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. I still conclude with myself, that, as bad as I am, and as low as thou hast laid me, thou wilt not think fit to let them insult over me, and brag that they have got the better of me: *
Psalms 38:17
For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. As they are in danger now to do; for I am so weak every way, that I am ready to fall, and have nothing but a sad prospect of ruin before mine eyes.
Psalms 38:18
For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. I know, and do confess, that I have deserved it by my iniquity; which when I consider (and nothing else), I have reason to fear the worst that they can do unto me.
Psalms 38:19
But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong; arid they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. And what cannot they do, who, while I lie in this weak and miserable condition, are flourishing and prosperous, strong and mighty? and, by false rumours, make me still more odious to the multitude, and increase their forces against me.
Psalms 38:20
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is. With which arc joined even those whom I have highly obliged; who do not think it bad enough not to be my friends, but are become my adversaries: for no other reason, that I can find, but because I make a conscience of what I do, and faithfully study, and earnestly seek, the good of all this kingdom.
Psalms 38:21
Forsake me not, OLord: Omy God, be not far from me. I humbly therefore betake myself to thee, O Lord, beseeching thee, that thou wilt not desert me as they have done. O my God, who hast been very gracious to mc on sundry occasions, and secst that I still depend entirely upon thee, let not my sins make thee to abandon me..
Psalms 38:22
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation. But rather let my misery, and the imminent danger I am in, move thee speedily to relieve me. Defer no longer, O Lord, whose property it is to deliver those who have none to help them, and trust in thee alone, as I now do, for safety and preservation.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the endofthe wickedshall be cut off. But the other shall be utterly destroyed; none of them shall escape by any of their cunning tricks and devices, but shall all alike perish; though for the present they may thrive in their wickedness, yet in the conclusion they shall be cut off both root and branch.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble. For the Lord, whom none can resist, undertakes to be the defender, deliverer, and benefactor of just and good men: they may safely depend on him for power and strength to support and protect them, whensoever they fall into any distress,
And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. He will not fail to help them during their troubles, and at last to deliver them out of them: the wicked shall not be able to hinder it; but he will deliver them from all their secret plots, or open attempts to destroy them: he will therefore deliver them, because they entirely rely on him for safety, and will not take any other course but such as he allows, to save themselves from danger. j”