Psalms 38:1-6

1 (37-1) <A psalm for David, for a remembrance of the sabbath.> (37-2) Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath.
2 (37-3) For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me.
3 (37-4) There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins.
4 (37-5) For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me.
5 (37-6) My sores are putrefied and corrupted, because of my foolishness.
6 (37-7) I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long.

Psalms 38:1-6 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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