Psalms 38:1-6

1 in finem Idithun canticum David
2 dixi custodiam vias meas ut non delinquam in lingua mea posui ori meo custodiam cum consisteret peccator adversum me
3 obmutui et humiliatus sum et silui a bonis et dolor meus renovatus est
4 concaluit cor meum intra me et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis
5 locutus sum in lingua mea notum fac mihi Domine finem meum et numerum dierum meorum quis est ut sciam quid desit mihi
6 ecce mensurabiles posuisti dies meos et substantia mea tamquam nihilum ante te verumtamen universa vanitas omnis homo vivens diapsalma

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.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.