Psalm 38:4

4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

Psalm 38:4 in Other Translations

4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

4 My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear.

4 I'm swamped by my bad behavior, collapsed under gunnysacks of guilt.

4 For mine iniquities are gone over my head: As a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

4 My guilt has overwhelmed me. Like a heavy load, it is more than I can bear.

4 For my sins have flooded over my head; they are a burden too heavy for me to bear.

4 My guilt has become too much for me. It is a load too heavy to carry.

Psalm 38:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 38:4

For mine iniquities are gone over mine head
Like an inundation of waters, as the waves and billows of the sea; for the waters to come up to the neck or chin shows great danger; but when they go over the head the case is desperate, and a person is sinking and drowning; compare with this ( Psalms 69:1 Psalms 69:2 ) ; the simile may denote both the number and weight of sins, and also signifies the overwhelming distress the psalmist was in, under a view of them;

as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me;
the guilt of sin upon the conscience, without a view of pardon, lies heavy indeed, and makes a man a burden to himself, as it did Job, ( Job 7:20 Job 7:21 ) ; yea, sin is not only grieving and afflicting to pardoned ones, and who know they are pardoned, but it is a burden to them under which they groan; nor is it possible for any so to bear it as to satisfy and make atonement for it; none but Christ could ever do this, and he has done it; nor is there any relief for burdened souls, but by looking to a sin bearing and sin atoning Saviour, and by casting the burden upon him, who invites them to him for rest.

Psalm 38:4 In-Context

2 Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me.

3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.

4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

5 My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.

6 I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 40:12; Psalms 65:3
• 2. S Numbers 11:14; S Ezra 9:6; Luke 11:46