A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention. 

 

David sinned and was being punished by God. He wrote this song to get God’s attention.

 

38:1 O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger! Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury!

 

David asked Jehovah not to rebuke or punish him while angry.

 

38:2 For your arrows pierce me, and your hand presses me down. 

 

The arrows of God were piercing David’s body. God’s hand was pressing down upon David’s head.

 

38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment; I am deprived of health because of my sin. 

 

David’s sickness came from the judgment of God. He sin caused him to lose his health.

 

38:4 For my sins overwhelm me; like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear.

 

The sins of David were too heavy for him to bear.

 

38:5 My wounds are infected and starting to smell, because of my foolish sins. 

 

David’s sickness produced body sores which were beginning to smell. This sickness was a result of David’s foolish sins.

 

38:6 I am dazed and completely humiliated; all day long I walk around mourning. 

 

David’s sin caused him to become dazed, confused, and humiliated. He mourned continually throughout the day. 

 

38:7 For I am overcome with shame and my whole body is sick. 

 

David’s sin caused him to feel shame. This sin made his whole body sick.

 

38:8 I am numb with pain and severely battered; I groan loudly because of the anxiety I feel. 

 

David’s sin caused him to become numb with pain. He felt as though he had been battered. He groaned loudly, because the sin caused him mental anxiety.

 

38:9 O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire; my groaning is not hidden from you. 

 

The heart is the intellect. Jehovah understood the intellect of David. David's cries of pain were not hidden from Jehovah.

 

38:10 My heart beats quickly; my strength leaves me; I can hardly see. 

 

The sickness from sin caused David’s heart to beat rapidly. He was losing his physical strength. He was going blind.

 

38:11 Because of my condition, even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance; my neighbors stand far away. 

 

David’s condition was so bad, that even his friends and acquaintances stood far away from him. David was alone in his pain. The only person that David could communicate with was God Himself.

 

38:12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me; those who want to harm me speak destructive words; all day long they say deceitful things. 

 

David’s enemies attempted to entrap him and kill him. His enemies slandered him. They began to do deceitful things against David.

 

38:13 But I am like a deaf man—I hear nothing; I am like a mute who cannot speak. 

 

David’s physical condition from sinned caused him to become deaf and mute. He did not hear what men were planning to do to him. He could not speak out against his enemies, because he was receiving no new information.

 

38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear and is incapable of arguing his defense. 

 

David was alone in his suffering. He was not hearing any new information. He did not have enough information to argue his defense.

 

38:15 Yet I wait for you, O Lord! You will respond, O Lord, my God! 

 

Although David was suffering physically and mentally because of his punishment from sin, he still waited for Jehovah to respond to his requests.

 

38:16 I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me; when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me. 

 

David prayed that Jehovah would deliver him from the divine punishment that he was receiving. If God refused to answer his prayers, then he would die. His enemies would gloat over him. Whenever David slips and fall, they will arrogantly taunt him.

 

38:17 For I am about to stumble, and I am in constant pain.

 

David was about to die. He was in constant pain. He was nearing his limit of testing.

 

38:18 Yes, I confess my wrongdoing, and I am concerned about my sins. 

 

David confessed his sins. He did not want to repeat them.

 

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; those who hate me without cause outnumber me. 

 

Believers who study and apply strong Bible doctrine will have enemies. It is important that a godly man have the right kind of enemies. A man who does not have enemies is compromising with the world, because friendship with the world is the enemy of God.

 

38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done; though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me. 

 

David did good for his enemies, but they repaid him with evil.

 

38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord! My God, do not remain far away from me! 

 

David asked God not to abandon him. He asked God to stay close by him.

 

38:22 Hurry and help me, O Lord, my deliverer!

 

David asked God to hurry and deliver him from his enemies.