Psalms 38:16-22

16 For I said, "Only 1let them not rejoice over me, who 2boast against me when my 3foot slips!"
17 For I am 4ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me.
18 I 5confess my iniquity; I am 6sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me 7wrongfully.
20 Those who 8render me evil for good 9accuse me because I 10follow after good.
21 Do not forsake me, O LORD! O my God, be not 11far from me!
22 12Make haste to help me, O Lord, my 13salvation!

Psalms 38:16-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 38

\\<>\\. 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.

Cross References 13

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.