Psalm 38

English Standard Version

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, ^(A)for the memorial offering.

38 O Lord, ^(B)rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
²For your ^(C)arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand ^(D)has come down on me.

³There is ^(E)no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my ^(F)bones
    because of my sin.
⁴For my ^(G)iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

⁵My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
⁶I am ^(H)utterly bowed down and ^(I)prostrate;
    all the day I ^(J)go about mourning.
⁷For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is ^(K)no soundness in my flesh.
⁸I am feeble and crushed;
    I ^(L)groan because of the tumult of my heart.

⁹O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my ^(M)sighing is not hidden from you.
¹⁰My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and ^(N)the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
¹¹My ^(O)friends and companions ^(P)stand aloof from my ^(Q)plague,
    and my nearest kin ^(R)stand far off.

¹²Those who seek my life ^(S)lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt ^(T)speak of ruin
and meditate ^(U)treachery all day long.

¹³But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like ^(V)a mute man who does not open his mouth.
¹⁴I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no ^(W)rebukes.

¹⁵But for ^(X)you, O Lord, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
¹⁶For I said, “Only ^(Y)let them not rejoice over me,
who ^(Z)boast against me when my ^(AA)foot slips!”

¹⁷For I am ^(AB)ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
¹⁸I ^(AC)confess my iniquity;
    I am ^(AD)sorry for my sin.
¹⁹But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me ^(AE)wrongfully.
²⁰Those who ^(AF)render me evil for good
    ^(AG)accuse me because I ^(AH)follow after good.