Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Psalms Chapter 38 mean?

Psalm 38 contains references like those found in Psalm 32: depicting the effects of sin and the pain a believer feels under God’s conviction. It’s possible this passage was composed in response to David’s sin with Bathsheba. He lured her into adultery, impregnated her, then attempted to cover the crime by arranging for her husband to die in battle (2 Samuel 12:7–9). Psalm 51 expresses David’s intense remorse for this episode. Here, he described the anguish he feels due to God’s corrective rebuke.

This psalm begins with an appeal for God’s forgiveness, and a reference to the Lord’s rebuke. The first metaphor speaks of David being pierced by arrows. This is symbolic, and it suggests the other complaints areas well. The theme of the psalm is David’s intense misery; he feels this because of his sin, for which God’s hand is moving against him. David uses imagery of illness, weakened bones, overwhelming burdens, rotting flesh, crippling ailments, mourning, fever, and loss of strength. These symptoms are attributed to the anguish in David’s heart (Psalm 38:1–8).

Despite his misery, David knows he has not been abandoned by God. He is experiencing the correction which comes through guilt and shame of sin (Hebrews 12:5–11); this causes his heart to hammer in his chest and his vision to blur. Friends have turned their backs on David, possibly due to his sin, or to his sudden collapse, or both. His enemies would relish the opportunity to take advantage of a scandal. David is all but deaf and mute, making no answer to those who criticize him. This might be because his suffering has rendered him incapable (Psalm 38:9–14).

The other possibility is that David chooses not to answer, out of humility and acceptance of God’s will. He is fully aware of his sin. He recognizes that God alone can bring him out of this situation. David makes no demands, but humbly appeals to the Lord. As part of this, he openly confesses his sin and declares his repentance. He ends the psalm with another plea for God’s mercy; even in this, he expresses faithful hope that God is his salvation (Psalm 38:15–22).

Chapter Context
Psalm 38 and Psalm 32 are similar. They both express David’s deep sense of guilt, his contrition, and his confession. Both psalms refer to the ill effect David’s sins exerted on his physical condition. Psalm 38‘s descriptions seem mostly symbolic, but his anguish is very literal. Likely, the sins in question were adultery with Bathsheba and the arranged murder of her husband (2 Samuel 12:7–9). If so, these themes connect directly to Psalm 51. David asks God to forgive him and heal him.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,nor discipline me in your wrath!

David loved God, but he was not morally perfect (Psalm 38:18). This psalm may or may not have been connected to his sin with Bathsheba, where he knew he had violated at least two of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13–14). He had committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 12:7–9). David was not naïve about God’s justice or His goodness. While he often praised God for mercy (Psalm 28:6; 86:15), he also knew God can be righteously angry and wrathful. Therefore, he asks God to lift His hand of discipline and cease to be angry and wrathful toward him.

God’s love is immeasurable (Psalm 36:5), but He is also holy and just. His holiness is intrinsic, and His justice is impeccable. He exercises remedial discipline in the case of every believer who violates His commandments. The discipline may be painful, but it lasts only long enough to bring about repentance and confession. Hebrews 12:10 assures believers that God disciplines His children for their good, and verse 11 states: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Context Summary
Psalm 38:1–8 resembles Psalm 32:3–4. In both passages, David describes pain he experiences because of his sin. He recognizes here that his physical suffering has come because of his immoral action. He sees the pain as part of the Lord’s disciplining of him. In the moment, his situation seems too much to bear, making him miserable. It’s possible Psalm 38 was written in response to David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

Verse 2. For your arrows have sunk into me,and your hand has come down on me.

David felt the deep pain of God’s discipline (Psalm 38:1). He compares the pain of God’s correction to arrows penetrating deeply into his body. Furthermore, the discipline felt like God’s hand had struck him. It’s not clear what sin David is speaking of in this passage (Psalm 38:18), but it might have been his fall regarding Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

To be “disciplined” by the Lord for sin is a mark of belonging to God. Hebrews 12:7–8 declares: “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” If sinning does not bother someone, it is a sure sign that he does not know God as his heavenly Father. David could not escape the pain of being disciplined. And yet, neither could he escape the fact that he belonged to God. In verse 15 he will address God as “O Lord my God.”

Verse 3. There is no soundness in my fleshbecause of your indignation;there is no health in my bonesbecause of my sin.

David’s health was severely affected by his sin (Psalm 38:1, 18) and the Lord’s discipline. Some of the language used here might be poetic exaggeration, speaking of how guilt and shame are affecting David’s life. It’s also entirely possible that these are real symptoms brought on as natural consequences, or simply wielded against David directly as a form of correction. In any case, David cites God’s indignation as the reason for his illness. Of course, not all physical illness and disease should be attributed to sin. Sometimes it is a platform for glorifying God (John 9:1–3). In other cases, it’s simply part of living in an imperfect and fallen world. A believer who endures illness with trust and praise serves as a testimony to God’s sufficiency.

Sometimes physical distress and even death accompany sin and discipline. The apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian church concerning the proper observance of the Lord’s Supper. He points out that many of the church’s members were weak and ill and some had died because they partook of the ordinance in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27–30). Apparently, some of James’s readers were experiencing sickness because of sin. He instructed them to confess their sins to one another and pray for one other that they might be healed (James 5:16).

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

Sinless perfection is not something we can attain in this life. A true believer may still sin, but when they do so, that experience will come with conviction and God’s correction. In that spirit, David laments his sinning (Psalm 38:18). He feels the shame and guilt of his sin such that it seems overwhelming.

When a believer sins, the Holy Spirit convicts, and the sinner should feel a certain burden as a result. As David did, the repentant believer can long to have the Lord lift that weight. Fortunately, Jesus lifts the crushing pressure of shame and guilt and gives peace to anyone who comes to Him in faith. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Writing prophetically about Jesus’ crucifixion for our sin, Isaiah portrays iniquity being laid on the Messiah, Jesus. He writes “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Verse 5. My wounds stink and festerbecause of my foolishness,

Scripture does not indicate that all sickness or hardship are the direct result of personal sin. In fact, it’s often the opposite—earthly struggles can have no connection to our moral choices, at all (John 9:1–3). Then again, there are times when sin brings natural consequences, along with the convicting pressure of the Holy Spirit. In this case, David realizes his physical distress resulted from his foolishness. He was wrong to disobey God (Psalm 38:1, 18). While not specified, it’s possible this psalm refers to his sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

Acts of sin may seem attractive at first, but they are foolish. The sinner will eventually come to realize how unwise such choices are. David initially thought he’d concocted a smart plan to cover his sin, but he was soon reminded that his plot simply multiplied the evil he’d done (2 Samuel 11—12).

That David experienced literal, physical sores like the ones depicted here is unlikely; his references in this psalm seem to be metaphors (Psalm 38:2). Scripture often uses the analogy of sores to convey the ugliness of sin. Addressing Judah as a sinful nation, Isaiah 1:5–6 says, “Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the who heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.” As David found out, the effects of sin are not pretty. They are ugly, and they hurt. Natural consequences and the Holy Spirit’s conviction are a potent combination.

Verse 6. I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;all the day I go about mourning.

In verse 4, David described suffering under God’s convicting rebuke as an enormous burden. Here, he adds details which echo that imagery. The picture set up here is that of a person bent over, flattened to the ground by a heavy load. The body can respond to emotional pain in numerous ways, such as curling forward, lifting the shoulders, or covering the face. As he mourns for his sin, David is wracked and has the posture of a feeble, fallen old man. Further, David indicates that his sense of conviction for his sin (Psalm 38:18) is unending. This is not a momentary feeling, but a perpetual awareness of his guilt. Like a mourner at a funeral, David was filled with sadness; his joy had fled from him.

God does not intend His people to live permanently in experiences such as mourning and sadness. The Lord wants His people to rejoice even amidst trials. Writing to the Philippian church from prison, where he experienced harsh treatment, Paul rejoiced in the Lord and admonished the Philippian believers to rejoice (Philippians 1:3–4, 18; 2:2, 17–18; 3:1; 4:1, 4). Joy and rejoicing don’t require happy circumstances—when we follow God’s will and still suffer, we can still rejoice in God’s provision and protection. Yet if we violate the Lord’s will, our suffering is a reason for mourning, followed by repentance and restoration.

This is one reason Jesus urged His followers to keep His commandments (John 15:10). He said, “I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). David’s lack of joy was a direct consequence of violating God’s will through sin.

Verse 7. For my sides are filled with burning,and there is no soundness in my flesh.

David continues his poetic description (Psalm 38:2, 5) of the pain he feels under God’s corrective rebuke. The word “burning” derives from a Hebrew term meaning “to scorch.” The imagery is of extreme inflammation. Modern afflictions such as shingles can cause intense pain on the sides of the body, accompanied by a rash, chills, and nausea. Such a condition would make it nearly impossible to find relief either by standing, sitting, or lying down. The slightest movement can trigger the sensation of one’s ribs being on fire. Other statements in this psalm appear to be metaphors, so David most likely is not describing a physical disease. He is, however, pointing out the drastic misery which guilt and shame are inflicting on him.

In the same way, David also comments that no part of his body is healthy. Sin, itself, can lead to physical consequences through disease or injury. Intense emotional pain can also cause symptoms in one’s physical body. That is not to say all sickness is due to the suffering person’s sin. Physical suffering might be tied directly to sin (John 5:14), or it may be completely unrelated (John 9:1–3). David seems fully aware that his experience—in whatever combination of physical and emotional stress—was due to his choice to sin against God (Psalm 38:1).

Verse 8. I am feeble and crushed;I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

Psalm 38 expresses David’s misery resulting from sin (Psalm 38:1, 18). Sin can often have direct physical consequences, including disease. God can also use such things to rebuke a person who resists Him. However, David’s imagery in this psalm appears to be symbolic, and not literal (Psalm 38:2). What’s very real, for David, is the crushing effect of God’s corrective discipline. He is fully aware of his sin and feels the brutal impact of conviction and guilt. Here, he makes that connection explicit, saying his prior symptoms (Psalm 38:3–7) are a response to the “tumult of my heart.”

The word “feeble” may be translated “deadly cold.” His energy was spent, and he was worn out. His heart was so unstable and his experience so agonizing that he “groaned.” The English word “groan” often implies something subtle or weak. However, the Hebrew root word sha’ag refers to a roar, or a shout of anguish. David is not “moaning” in misery, he is shouting in pain. This behavior indicates that his mind was tortured. Whereas David was once a robust warrior-king, a man among men, and someone who was revered; now sin had transformed him into a feeble, ill, and distraught man.

The price of sin is extremely high, and for the unbeliever its wages are death (Romans 6:23). However, the Lord Jesus “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Even as David mourns over his sin, he doesn’t abandon hope. Instead, he looks to the Lord who sees his condition (Psalm 38:9) and asks for salvation (Psalm 38:22).

Verse 9. O Lord, all my longing is before you;my sighing is not hidden from you.

Throughout this psalm, David confesses that he suffers because of his own sin (Psalm 38:1–4, 18). Much of these symptoms are poetic expressions of his guilt and shame: conviction brought by God (Psalm 38:5–8). It’s fitting, then, that David chooses to refer to God using the Hebrew term Adōnā’y, or Adonai, which literally means “Master.” This term was sometimes spoken when reading Scripture, rather than trying to pronounce God’s self-identified name of YHWH. This reference shows that David is humble and regards himself as God’s servant.

David also acknowledges that the Lord is omniscient: nothing is hidden from Him. The Lord was fully aware of David’s pain and sighs, as well as his motives and his desires. Every believer should derive comfort, peace, and courage from the fact that the Lord knows all about his suffering. Such omniscience does not preclude the need to pray. Hebrews 4:14 tells us Jesus, the believers’ great high priest, is available. The same passage assures us He sympathizes with our struggle since He experienced temptation but didn’t sin (Hebrew 4:15). This is why we can confidently approach God in prayer, as we seek to “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Context Summary
Psalm 38:9–14 shows David’s sincere humility. He addresses God as “Adonai,” meaning “Lord” or “Master.” He acknowledges that God knows all about his suffering, then continues to explain his misery. Guilt and conviction have caused him personal anguish. His sin created isolation from friends and relatives. It has given room for his enemies to attack him. In the face of this pressure, David feels entirely helpless.

Verse 10. My heart throbs; my strength fails me,and the light of my eyes — it also has gone from me.

Pouring out his heart to the Lord, David continues to describe his suffering under God’s corrective discipline (Psalm 38:1–4). While some of these descriptors are poetic, David’s pain is very real. He describes his heart with the Hebrew word sehar’har, which literally means something “passing through.” In English, an equivalent figure of speech would be “my heart is pounding out of my chest.” David’s heart is “hammering” fiercely.

Guilt and shame over his sin (Psalm 38:18) have also stripped David of his strength. Here, he refers to weakness and blindness. Physical disease and injury can be natural consequences of sin. However, this psalm seems to be about David’s spiritual, emotional response to the Lord’s conviction (Psalm 38:8). That does not mean his response is entirely mental; the modern medical community notes the close correlation between emotional states and physical conditions (Proverbs 14:30). Depression, for example, can cause fatigue, weaken the immune system, constrict blood vessels, increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, negatively affect digestion, and contribute to high blood pressure and diabetes.

One advantage of leading a life of devotion to the Lord, in which sin is promptly confessed and forsaken, is the avoidance of these kinds of symptoms. Undoubtedly, a godly lifestyle spares a believer much grief and physical distress—at least by avoiding the natural outcomes of sin. It also keeps the believer from enduring conviction and discipline. Not all suffering is due to sin, of course. A vivid example of this fact is the apostle Paul. His health was not good, but those issues were not caused by sin. Persecution, trials, and a hectic schedule took its toll on his health (2 Corinthians 11:23–28).

Verse 11. My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,and my nearest kin stand far off.

Friends and relatives may distance themselves from the person who is ill and desperately needs comfort. Ironically, this seems more likely to happen when the person’s suffering is spiritual or mental, as opposed to something like a sickness or injury. The context of this statement is David’s suffering under conviction of his sin (Psalm 38:1–4, 8, 18). Either because of his drastic change in mood, or specifically because they despised his sin, David felt as if his friends and relatives were abandoning him.

The word “plague” may suggest leprosy. This is one of the physical afflictions people actively avoid interacting with, for fear of contamination. David’s friends and relatives treated him as though he were a leper. In David’s culture, persons thought to have highly contagious diseases were excluded from society (Leviticus 13:45). So, David experienced social pain, loneliness, and rejection.

The New Testament portrays Jesus as extending acceptance, love, and healing to lepers and other social outcasts. He healed lepers (Luke 17:11–19), restored a blind beggar’s sight (Luke 18:35–43), befriended a despised tax collector (Luke 19:1–10), and forgave an adulterous woman (John 8:2–11). He invited everyone without exception to come to Him (Matthew 11:28) and promised, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). Even in David’s despair, he does not give up hope, but calls out to God in faith (Psalm 38:22).

Verse 12. Those who seek my life lay their snares;those who seek my hurt speak of ruinand meditate treachery all day long.

As a warrior and king, David’s enemies were always looking for weaknesses which they could exploit. Psalm 38 describes David’s suffering as God rebukes him for sin (Psalm 38:1–4). This part of Scripture does not specify what inspired David’s plea. However, it might have been his sin regarding Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9). In that instance, he abused his kingly authority attempting to cover up adultery. Even in the ancient world, where kings wielded almost unlimited power, such things would threaten the loyalty and love of the people (2 Samuel 15:6). Whatever the cause, David’s sin seems to have given his enemies a renewed motivation and intensity in their plotting.

A “snare” was a trap usually placed on a path or hidden in the ground. When an animal stepped on the snare, it would snap shut and entangle the animal. In the context of David’s enemies, this would mean their subversive plans to catch him and kill him. Those who wanted to destroy him spent ample time discussing his doom and going over their plans. Likely, David overheard his enemies discussing ways to destroy him, or heard reports from his spies and soldiers about it.

As he hears about enemies plotting to destroy him, David’s experience foreshadows what happened to Jesus, his chief descendant. After Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, the Pharisees left the synagogue where the healing took place “and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 3:6). Evil never stops scheming to interfere with goodness.

Verse 13. But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,like a mute man who does not open his mouth.

As David suffers due to sin (Psalm 38:1–4), he perceives that his enemies plot and scheme to destroy him (Psalm 38:12). In verses 13 and 14, David implies that he makes no response to these issues, at all. This silence might have been a symptom of David’s convicted suffering (Psalm 38:8). His statement might mean that he wanted to reply, and to speak out against his attackers, but was not able.

The other possibility is that David chooses silence as a humble response to his sin (Psalm 38:18). Rather than trying to defend himself, he might be accepting that only the Lord could vindicate him. Of course, when one is truly guilty of sin, there may be natural consequences. Those might be legal, medical, or social. God might mercifully spare someone from those, but such is not guaranteed. He certainly promises to send conviction and discipline to His followers (Hebrews 12:5–11). Yet even in those cases, a person can rely on God to guide the results according to His will.

If a believer is falsely accused of a sin or crime, he can remain silent and trust the Lord to settle the matter. Romans 12:17 exhorts believers not to repay evil for evil. This does not guarantee that justice will be done in this life, yet God’s justice is inevitable. The same passage instructs: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19).

Peter addresses the subject of unjust earthly suffering. He comments, “If when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (1 Peter 2:20). The next verse points to Jesus as the believers’ example of suffering righteously. “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

Verse 14. I have become like a man who does not hear,and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

This follows the comment of the previous verse (Psalm 38:13), where David notes his silence and deafness in response to enemy attacks (Psalm 38:12). These comments could be interpreted as part of David’s crushed response to God’s conviction (Psalm 38:1–4, 8), meaning he is incapable of sensibly hearing what is happening, or of responding reasonably.

The other option is that David is choosing not to respond to the attacks of his enemies. Because a deaf person cannot hear what someone says negatively about him, he has no motive to argue or bicker. David’s repentance over sin may have led him to accept that God would settle the matter, so he could simply let go and leave the issue to the Lord.

It takes discipline to refuse to talk back to an accuser, and the misuse of the tongue can cause a storm of hostile feelings. The apostle James advocates for controlling the tongue. He writes in James 3:2, “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man.” He points out also that “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell” (James 3:6).

Verse 15. But for you, O Lord, do I wait;it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

David realized that only God could resolve his desperate circumstances. His prayer reveals two key facts about David. First, he patiently looked to the Lord for relief from his suffering (Psalm 38:8, 22). Second, although he had committed serious sins (Psalm 38:1–4), he realized God was still his God. This coordinates with other statements in the Bible noting that our ultimate hope, in all circumstances, is the Lord and not anything on earth (Psalm 18:6; 46:1; 121:1–2; Ephesians 6:12).

When a believer suffers, it’s best to follow David’s example. We should be patient in prayer. The Lord’s timing is not always our timing, but it is perfect, and He will respond to prayer at the right time. Further, the Lord does not disown His children when we sin (Hebrews 12:5–11). He is still their God, and He will answer them. However, like David, if sin destroys their fellowship with God, they must confess their sin to enjoy restored fellowship (1 John 1:9).

This verse uses three Hebrew terms in reference to God. The first is YHWH, often rendered as “LORD,” which is the self-identified name of God (Exodus 3:15). The second is Adonai, a reference to God as “Master.” The third is from the term ‘Elōhim, referring to a mighty being or deity. Calling out to “LORD…Lord my God” is like appealing to, “God…my Master, my Deity.” David folds several aspects of the Lord’s nature into his prayer.

Context Summary
Psalm 38:15–22 concludes David’s plea just as it began: with a prayer. Having described his suffering, he prays now for forgiveness and for the Lord to silence his enemies. He asks God not to forsake him but to help him. His final words reveal his dependence on the Lord for deliverance. He addresses the Lord as “my salvation.”

Verse 16. For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,who boast against me when my foot slips!”

As a warrior and king, David’s enemies were eager to celebrate his defeat. Committing serious sin (Psalm 38:18; 2 Samuel 12:7–9) would provide political foes with an opportunity. David’s sin (Psalm 38:1–4, 18) has given his enemies room to attack (Psalm 38:12). This is partly due to David’s disabling sense of conviction for his crimes (Psalm 38:8). David is not hopeless (Psalm 38:15, 22) but he cries out in desperation. Therefore, David asks God to prevent his enemies from being able to gloat over him.

Scripture sometimes refers to sin using the imagery of walking, or a path, were someone takes a wrong step or leaves the designated trail (Proverbs 3:23; 4:14; Psalm 17:5). When a believer starts to stray from the Lord, it isn’t long before sin leads to a fall and God’s reputation is tarnished in the eyes of unbelievers (1 Peter 2:12; Romans 2:23–24). Christians must be alert to temptation and walk carefully (Ephesians 5:15) so they do not disgrace the Lord.

The book of Judges reports often that Samson made poor choices, leading to his downfall. Finally, when he was weak, the Philistines pounced on him, gouged out his eyes, bound him with shackles, and forced him into slavery in a mill (Judges 16:18– 21). But their tormenting of Samson did not end at the mill. They credited their false god, Dagon, with their capture of Samson. They celebrated by making fun of Samson (Judges 16:23–25). They must have thought Samson’s God was weaker than Dagon until Samson prayed for renewed strength and literally brought the roof down on them, killing them (Judges 16:26–30).

Verse 17. For I am ready to fall,and my pain is ever before me.

In this psalm, David has expressed the intense misery he feels because of God’s correction and conviction (Psalm 38:1–4, 8). Here, he suggests he is ready to collapse, as if dropping to the ground in death. His misery is relentless because his sin is clear (Psalm 38:18). To his credit, David did not let suffering drive him away from the Lord. Instead of bitterly rejecting God’s discipline, or attempting to ignore his own sin, David appeals to God for forgiveness and restoration (Psalm 38:22).

The infamous experiences of Job revolve around pain and suffering. He lost his sons and daughters, his servants, his livestock, and his health, but he refused to lose his faith in the Lord. When his wife urged him to curse God and die, Job replied, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive [hardship]? (Job 2:10). Later, he expressed resolute faith in God as his redeemer. He declared: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself …” (Job 19:25–27). Faith in the Lord surmounts even the most challenging circumstances!

Verse 18. I confess my iniquity;I am sorry for my sin.

This psalm has been about David’s intense misery, thanks to God’s conviction and correction (Psalm 38:1–4, 8). That hardship is related to David’s own sin, which he explicitly confesses and asks to be forgiven. It’s notable that David specifically expresses sorrow over his sin—but not bitterness or objection to the misery his sin has caused him. Genuine confession includes “contrition:” a sense of sincere repentance and regret. Unless a believer is truly sorry for his sins, it is unlikely that he will forsake them.

That leads to the question of what counts as genuine confession to God. First John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous.” The word “confess” in the Greek New Testament is homologōmen, meaning roughly “to say the same thing.” In other words, genuine confession is to “say the same thing” or “hold the same attitude” about sin as does God. He hates sin, and believers ought to hate it too. To see sin as obnoxious in God’s eyes is to view it the same way and determine to forsake it. David despised his sins and sought God’s rescue (Psalm 38:22).

Verse 19. But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,and many are those who hate me wrongfully.

David describes his foes as lively, powerful, and numerous. David’s condition was altogether different from that of his enemies. Thanks to his sin, and God’s convicting discipline, David was extremely weak (Psalm 38:8). He felt shunned by even his friends and relatives (Psalm 38:11). However, he patiently submitted himself to God and anticipated an answer (Psalm 38:15).

While David admits that he has sinned (Psalm 38:18), at least some of the attacks from his enemies are unfair and unreasonable. Those who sought David’s ruin, even before his sin (Psalm 35:19), would not be likely to reserve their attacks to something sensible.

A believer may feel greatly outnumbered by worldly attackers. Yet, with God on our side, “we are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). As Paul points out in Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Jesus offered inspiring words to His disciples in John 16:33. He said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” One of those disciples was John, who writes in 1 John 4:4 that believers are overcomers because “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Verse 20. Those who render me evil for goodaccuse me because I follow after good.

David’s enemies were unscrupulous. They wanted to destroy David because he did what was good. They wanted to repay his honorable deeds with evil. Even if David had truly sinned (Psalm 38:18), their attacks went beyond anything reasonable (Psalm 38:19). Such enemies would have willingly lied about David before (Psalm 35:11–12), so they have no reason to reserve their criticism to something rational. Instead, they amplify their slander.

This is part of the fallen world’s assault on godliness. When the ungodly fail to meet their already-low standards, they expect tolerance and refuse correction. On the other hand, when a self-identified believer falls short of perfection, the world is ready to pounce and magnify those mistakes (1 Peter 2:12).

John 3:19 declares: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” God demonstrated the greatest good by giving His Son for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), but the world demonstrated the greatest evil by crucifying God’s Son. Jesus told His followers: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. … because you are not of the world … the world hates you” (John 15:18–19). Proverbs 17:13 sounds a warning: “If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.”

Verse 21. Do not forsake me, O Lord!O my God, be not far from me!

As part of his humble, trusting repentance for sin (Psalm 38:1–4, 8, 18), David pleads with God to stay with him and guide him through this experience. He trusted in the Lord as his personal God. David’s cry here is not one of despair, but of faithful confidence (Psalm 38:22). What he prays here reflects an intense experience, not a sudden loss of confidence in the Lord.

On the cross, Jesus, David’s chief descendant, experienced the pain of separation from God. He took on our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), and God is righteous and holy. Christ’s experience on the cross represented a difficult-to-define experience of separation, in some form, between God the Father and God the Son. This is likely one reason Jesus cited Psalm 22, calling out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus willingly endured that experience so He would never have to abandon those who trust in Him as Savior. Hebrews 13:5–6 exhorts: “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”

Verse 22. Make haste to help me,O Lord, my salvation!

David’s plight (Psalm 38:1–4, 8, 18) created a sense of urgency. He prays for God to act quickly, to restore David and relieve him of his misery. God’s conviction and correction can be deeply painful to endure; yet this is part of God’s mercy, since that pain drives us to repentance and reconciliation with Him. A sense of urgency can drive a believer to call upon the Lord for help. Hebrews 4:16 encourages this, saying, “Let us with then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The disciple Peter sensed his urgent need to be rescued from heavy waves that threatened his life. When he attempted to walk on water, then began to sink, he urgently appealed for rescue (Matthew 14:30). Jesus answered Peter’s urgent call immediately. He reached out His hand and took hold of him (Matthew 14:31).

Here, David addresses God as “my [his] salvation.” He correctly recognized that only the Lord could deliver him from his sin, his suffering, and his enemies. Even while humbly admitting his sin, and expressing his pain, David was faithfully confident that the Lord would hear his prayer.

End of Psalm 38

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