Psalms 38:8-18

8 (37-9) I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart.
9 (37-10) Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee.
10 (37-11) My heart is troubled, my strength hath left me, and the light of my eyes itself is not with me.
11 (37-12) My friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against me. And they that were near me stood afar off:
12 (37-13) And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long.
13 (37-14) But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth.
14 (37-15) And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth.
15 (37-16) For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God.
16 (37-17) For I said: Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me: and whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me.
17 (37-18) For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.
18 (37-19) For I will declare my iniquity: and I will think of my sin.

Psalms 38:8-18 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.

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