Psalm 38
Psalm 38, The Sick Sinner’s Only Hope
Psalm 38 is titled, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. This title shows that David is laying his condition before the Lord so that God would remember and act. In Scripture, for God to remember is not merely for Him to recall information, because God never forgets. Rather, it means that God turns His attention toward a person or situation in active mercy, covenant faithfulness, and help. Psalm 38 is one of the penitential psalms, along with Psalm 6, Psalm 32, Psalm 51, Psalm 102, Psalm 130, and Psalm 143. It is a dark and painful psalm, filled with guilt, bodily weakness, sorrow, isolation, enemies, and urgent cries for help. David does not present himself here as innocent. In many psalms he asks God to vindicate him against false enemies, but in Psalm 38 he openly acknowledges that his own sin, iniquity, and foolishness are central to his misery. Yet even under guilt and chastening, David does the right thing, he runs to the Lord rather than away from Him.
Psalm 38:1 to Psalm 38:2, Pierced by God’s Displeasure
Psalm 38:1, “O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.”
Psalm 38:2, “For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.”
David begins with a plea, “O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath.” He does not deny that he deserves rebuke. He does not claim innocence. He does not argue that God has no right to correct him. His plea is that God would not rebuke him in wrath. David understands that the displeasure of God is a terrifying thing to the conscience of a man who knows the Lord. The anger of men may be painful, but the displeasure of God is far more piercing.
David adds, “neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.” Chastening is discipline, correction, and painful instruction. David knows God chastens His people, and he does not ask to be treated as though sin does not matter. But he pleads that God would deal with him as a Father, not as a condemning Judge. He asks for corrective discipline, not consuming wrath.
This distinction matters. God’s people may experience discipline, but they are not under condemnation. The Lord corrects His children because He loves them.
Hebrews 12:5, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, , My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:”
Hebrews 12:6, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
Hebrews 12:7, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; , for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”
David is feeling the pain of chastening, but his prayer shows faith. He still calls upon the Lord. He still believes mercy may be found. He still knows where to go. The worst response to guilt is to hide from God, as Adam did in the garden. David does not hide. He comes wounded, guilty, and afraid, but he comes to the Lord.
Verse 2 says, “For thine arrows stick fast in me.” David describes God’s displeasure as arrows lodged deeply in him. This is vivid language. He feels pierced, wounded, and unable to escape the pain. The arrows are not glancing blows. They stick fast. Conviction has gone deep. The chastening hand of God has reached the inner man.
David continues, “and thy hand presseth me sore.” God’s hand feels heavy upon him. This recalls Psalm 32, where David said that while he kept silence, God’s hand was heavy upon him.
Psalm 32:3, “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.”
Psalm 32:4, “For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”
In Psalm 32, the heavy hand of God pressed David toward confession. In Psalm 38, David again feels that divine pressure. It is painful, but it is not meaningless. God’s heavy hand upon His child is meant to bring repentance, humility, restoration, and renewed dependence.
This also points forward to Christ in a deeper way. David suffered under the weight of his own sin. But Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, bore the wrath due to the sins of His people. The arrows of judgment and the heavy hand of divine justice fell upon Him, not for His own guilt, but for ours.
Isaiah 53:4, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, , smitten of God, and afflicted.”
Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, , he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
David’s pain under conviction helps us understand, in a limited way, the horror of sin. Christ’s suffering shows us the full cost of redemption.
Psalm 38:3 to Psalm 38:5, Overwhelmed by Iniquity
Psalm 38:3, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.”
Psalm 38:4, “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.”
Psalm 38:5, “My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.”
David now describes the effects of his sin, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger.” His misery is not merely emotional. He feels it in his body. Whether David was suffering a literal illness, an injury, or the physical effects of severe spiritual distress, he experiences the consequences of sin in his flesh. His body feels unsound, weak, sick, and broken.
He continues, “neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.” David does not blame God as though God were unjust. He says plainly that the trouble is “because of my sin.” This is one of the great marks of true repentance. David does not hide behind excuses. He does not claim to be misunderstood. He does not shift blame to enemies, circumstances, pressure, weakness, or temptation. He names the cause, “my sin.”
Sin removes rest. It unsettles the bones. It disturbs the conscience. It robs the soul of peace. A believer may try to continue outwardly, but inwardly there is no rest when sin is unaddressed. This is mercy, because the Lord will not allow His child to become comfortable in rebellion.
Verse 4 says, “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head.” David feels overwhelmed, as though his sins have risen like floodwaters above him. He cannot stand above them. He cannot control them. He cannot manage them. They have gone over his head.
He adds, “as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” Sin is a burden. At first, sin often presents itself as pleasure, freedom, power, comfort, or relief. But once embraced, it becomes weight. It presses on the conscience, soul, memory, body, relationships, and worship. David says the burden is too heavy for him.
This is the point a sinner must reach before he will truly seek mercy. A man who thinks he can carry his own guilt will not come honestly to Christ. A man who knows the burden is too heavy must seek a Savior.
Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; , for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Matthew 11:30, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
David’s burden was too heavy for him. Christ calls the heavy laden to come to Him for rest.
Verse 5 says, “My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.” David uses offensive language because sin is offensive. He describes his wounds as foul, corrupt, festering, and rotten. Sin wounds the soul, and when left untreated, the wound becomes corrupt. Hidden sin does not heal itself. It festers.
Again David says this is “because of my foolishness.” Sin is foolishness. It may appear clever in the moment. It may seem strategic, pleasurable, or justified, but before God it is foolish. David has been made wise enough to call his sin what it is. It is not sophistication. It is not freedom. It is foolishness.
This verse also teaches that repentance requires moral clarity. David does not decorate sin with soft words. He calls it sin, iniquity, and foolishness. He sees its wounds and corruption. The sinner must stop defending what is destroying him.
Psalm 38:6 to Psalm 38:8, David’s Trouble and Turmoil
Psalm 38:6, “I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.”
Psalm 38:7, “For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.”
Psalm 38:8, “I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.”
David says, “I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly.” Guilt has bent him down. The man who once stood strong in battle now feels crushed inwardly. Sin distorts the soul from its uprightness. Shame bends the spirit. Fear presses the mind downward. David is not simply sad. He is deeply troubled and greatly bowed down.
He continues, “I go mourning all the day long.” His sorrow is constant. It follows him through the day. This is not a brief moment of conviction. It is an ongoing state of mourning. The conscience under the hand of God can make the whole day heavy. David cannot escape himself because the trouble is within him.
Verse 7 says, “For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease.” David again describes bodily affliction in strong terms. The exact disease or condition is unknown, and speculation cannot be certain. What is clear is that David’s suffering feels physical, humiliating, and severe. He feels diseased and unclean.
He repeats, “and there is no soundness in my flesh.” This repetition emphasizes how total his misery feels. David does not present a small inconvenience. He feels unsound in his whole person.
Verse 8 says, “I am feeble and sore broken.” David has no strength in himself. He is weak, shattered, and deeply broken. Sin has reduced him. A man may imagine sin will make him larger, freer, or more alive, but it breaks him. David’s testimony warns every believer that sin is not a toy. It breaks the soul and may break the body.
He concludes, “I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.” The word “roared” is stronger than a quiet groan. David’s inward turmoil comes out in deep cries. His heart is disquieted, restless, agitated, and disturbed. The sweet psalmist of Israel now roars under pain. This is still prayer. It may not be polished, but it is honest before God.
The Lord hears even the broken cries of His people. Not every prayer is eloquent. Some prayers are groans, sighs, tears, and roaring from a disquieted heart. The Father of mercies does not despise the broken cry of the repentant.
Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, , O God, thou wilt not despise.”
David’s brokenness is painful, but it is not hopeless. A broken and contrite heart is exactly the heart God receives.
Psalm 38:9 to Psalm 38:10, Hiding Nothing in His Misery
Psalm 38:9, “Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.”
Psalm 38:10, “My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.”
David now turns with complete transparency to God, “Lord, all my desire is before thee.” He speaks to God as Lord, Adonai, his Master. He lays everything before Him. David does not hide his desire, grief, guilt, weakness, longing, fear, or need. Everything is open before God.
This is the opposite of Adam’s instinct in the garden. After sin, man naturally hides. He hides from God, hides from others, hides from truth, and hides from himself. But restoration begins when the sinner stops hiding and comes into the light before the Lord.
Genesis 3:8, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: , and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”
David does not hide among the trees. He brings his whole desire before God. This is the only wise response for the guilty believer. God already knows, but confession and transparent prayer bring the soul into honest fellowship.
David adds, “and my groaning is not hid from thee.” His groaning may be too deep for words, but it is not hidden from God. The Lord understands the speech of pain. He hears what others cannot interpret.
The New Testament gives comfort concerning groaning prayer.
Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: , but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
God is not limited to polished words. He knows the groaning of His people.
Verse 10 says, “My heart panteth, my strength faileth me.” David’s heart is in turmoil. His strength is gone. He is not presenting himself as capable. He is confessing weakness. He feels physically and spiritually exhausted.
He adds, “as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.” The eyes often reflect life, strength, hope, and clarity. David feels as though even that light has departed. He is dimmed by sorrow. His vitality is fading. This is a picture of deep depression, guilt, and affliction.
Yet even here, David is praying. That is the glimmer of grace. His light feels gone, but he is still speaking to the Lord. His strength fails, but faith has not entirely failed. He still brings his condition before God.
Psalm 38:11 to Psalm 38:14, Forsaken by Friends, Hunted by Enemies
Psalm 38:11, “My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.”
Psalm 38:12, “They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.”
Psalm 38:13, “But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.”
Psalm 38:14, “Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.”
David now describes social isolation. “My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore.” Those who loved him and had been close to him now stand at a distance. His condition repels them or frightens them. They may not know how to help. They may not want to be associated with his shame. They may fear his trouble will touch them. Whatever the reason, David feels abandoned.
He adds, “and my kinsmen stand afar off.” Even family stands away. This deepens the suffering. It is painful when enemies attack, but it is another kind of pain when friends and relatives withdraw. David’s guilt and suffering are made heavier by loneliness.
The word “sore” suggests a plague, wound, or affliction that others do not want to approach. David feels like a contaminated man. This is what sin and suffering can do socially. They can isolate a man from those who once stood near.
Verse 12 shows that while friends withdraw, enemies advance. “They also that seek after my life lay snares for me.” David has no relief from enemies. They are actively setting traps. His weakness makes him vulnerable, and they exploit it.
He continues, “and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.” Their attacks include speech and schemes. They speak destructive things and plan deceit constantly. David’s enemies do not rest from plotting.
This is a cruel combination. Friends stand aloof, enemies lay snares, and David himself is weak. Humanly speaking, he has little defense.
Verse 13 says, “But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.” David does not answer. He is like a deaf man who does not hear and a mute man who does not speak. This may show his emotional exhaustion, his unwillingness to defend himself, or his submission to the Lord’s chastening. He will speak to God, but he does not answer every malicious tongue.
Verse 14 repeats the picture, “Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.” David has no response. He does not rebuke them. He does not defend himself. He remains silent.
This silence points forward to Christ, who was silent before His accusers.
Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, , yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, , and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
Matthew 27:12, “And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.”
Matthew 27:13, “Then said Pilate unto him, , Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?”
Matthew 27:14, “And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”
David’s silence was imperfect and mingled with guilt. Christ’s silence was perfect and holy. Yet David’s experience foreshadows the righteous sufferer who entrusts Himself to God.
B. The Glimmer of Hope in the LORD
Psalm 38:15 to Psalm 38:16, Hope in the God Who Will Hear
Psalm 38:15, “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.”
Psalm 38:16, “For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.”
Here the psalm turns toward hope. David says, “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope.” Despite guilt, sickness, sorrow, isolation, enemies, and silence, David still hopes in the Lord. He does not hope in his health, friends, family, reputation, ability to answer, or strength. His hope is in Jehovah, the covenant God.
This is critical. David’s sin has brought misery, but he does not conclude that he must run from God. He hopes in God. True repentance does not despair away from God. It returns to God. The same Lord whose hand pressed him down is the Lord whose mercy can lift him up.
David says, “thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.” This is faith speaking when feelings are weak. David may not feel relief yet, but he confesses that God will hear. He uses three important names in this verse, LORD, Jehovah, the covenant God, Lord, Adonai, the Master, and God, Elohim, the mighty God. David appeals to God’s covenant faithfulness, sovereign authority, and divine power.
Verse 16 explains part of his concern, “For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me.” David does not want his enemies to triumph over his fall. He knows he has sinned, but he also knows the wicked are waiting to rejoice. He asks God to hear him so that enemies will not use his weakness as an occasion to exalt themselves.
He continues, “when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.” David admits his foot is in danger of slipping. He is not pretending strength. But he also sees the cruelty of enemies who magnify themselves when he stumbles. Wicked men often love the fall of the righteous because it allows them to justify themselves, mock godliness, and exalt their own pride.
David asks God to intervene, not because David is innocent in this psalm, but because God’s mercy and honor are at stake. He does not want enemies to turn his chastening into their celebration.
Psalm 38:17 to Psalm 38:20, Ready to Fall Before Strong Enemies
Psalm 38:17, “For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.”
Psalm 38:18, “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.”
Psalm 38:19, “But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.”
Psalm 38:20, “They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.”
David says, “For I am ready to halt.” He is near collapse. The word suggests limping, stumbling, or being ready to fall. David’s strength is almost gone. He is spiritually and emotionally unstable under the burden of guilt and attack.
He adds, “and my sorrow is continually before me.” His sorrow does not leave. It stands in front of him constantly. He cannot look away from it. This is the pain of conviction and consequence. Some sorrows pass quickly. Others remain before the eyes day and night.
Verse 18 gives the heart of repentance, “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.” David does not hide his sin. He declares it. He acknowledges it before God. He does not merely regret consequences. He is sorry for his sin. There is a difference between sorrow over pain and sorrow over sin. David has both, but he specifically says, “my sin.”
This is one of the clearest marks of true repentance in the psalm. David uses personal language, “mine iniquity,” “my sin.” He does not generalize. He does not say, “Mistakes were made.” He owns the guilt. He declares it and mourns it.
The New Testament describes the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: , but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Godly sorrow turns the sinner back to God. Worldly sorrow may grieve over consequences while still loving sin. David’s sorrow is directed toward confession and mercy.
Verse 19 says, “But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong.” David is weak, but his enemies are vigorous. He is ready to fall, but they are strong. This contrast makes his need urgent. He cannot overcome them in his present condition.
He adds, “and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.” Though David confesses real sin before God, he also knows that some enemies hate him wrongfully. This is important. A believer may be guilty of sin in one matter and still be falsely or maliciously opposed in another. David does not claim sinlessness, but he does say that these enemies hate him wrongfully.
Verse 20 says, “They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries.” David has done good to them, but they return evil. This is betrayal and injustice. The word “adversaries” is related to the concept of satanic opposition, because Satan means adversary. These enemies act like adversaries in the deepest sense, opposing what is good.
David gives the reason, “because I follow the thing that good is.” Even though David is repentant over sin, his general direction is still toward what is good. He is not an apostate delighting in evil. He is a chastened believer who still wants righteousness. His enemies hate him because he follows good.
This is a sober reminder that repentance does not remove all opposition. Sometimes enemies intensify when a man is weak. But the repentant believer may still appeal to God for protection because his hope is in the Lord.
Psalm 38:21 to Psalm 38:22, The Urgent Plea Unto God
Psalm 38:21, “Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.”
Psalm 38:22, “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.”
David ends with a plain and urgent cry, “Forsake me not, O LORD.” There is no polished conclusion, no immediate visible resolution, no final statement that circumstances have changed. The psalm ends with need. David’s greatest fear is not merely sickness, enemies, loneliness, or shame. His deepest fear is being forsaken by God. He pleads that the Lord would not abandon him.
This is the cry of a believer under chastening. Sin has made him feel distance from God. Pain has made him feel the absence of comfort. Enemies have made him feel exposed. Friends have withdrawn. But if God does not forsake him, he still has hope.
He continues, “O my God, be not far from me.” David wants nearness. He needs the sense of God’s presence. The absence of that sense may be the greatest pain in the psalm. A believer can endure much if he knows God is near, but when God feels far away, even ordinary trouble becomes heavy.
David’s plea shows that fellowship with God is life to the soul. He does not merely ask for the disease to leave or enemies to stop. He asks God to be near.
Verse 22 says, “Make haste to help me.” David needs urgent help. He cannot wait in his own strength. He asks God to hurry. This is not irreverence. It is desperation expressed in faith. The child of God may cry urgently to the Father.
He concludes, “O Lord my salvation.” This is the final confession of faith. David’s salvation is not in himself. It is not in his innocence, because he has confessed sin. It is not in friends, because they stand aloof. It is not in family, because they stand afar off. It is not in self defense, because he is silent. It is not in strength, because his strength fails. It is not in circumstances, because enemies are strong. The Lord is his salvation.
This ending is honest and faithful. The psalm does not end with David feeling healed, vindicated, or visibly restored. It ends with David clinging to the Lord as his only salvation. That is enough. Sometimes faith does not yet sing victory loudly. Sometimes faith simply cries, “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.”
For the Christian, this salvation is fully revealed in Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, , whereby we must be saved.”
The sick sinner’s only hope is the Lord. David knew it in shadow. The believer now knows it in Christ.
Doctrinal and Practical Summary
Psalm 38 teaches that sin is grievous and bitter before God. David’s misery shows that sin is not light, harmless, or manageable. It wounds, burdens, corrupts, weakens, isolates, and terrifies.
Psalm 38 teaches that God’s chastening hand can be severe. David feels God’s arrows and heavy hand, yet this discipline is meant to bring the sinner back to God.
Psalm 38 teaches that the proper response to divine displeasure is to draw near to the Lord, not run away. David cries to God even while feeling God’s rebuke.
Psalm 38 teaches that a believer under conviction should ask for fatherly chastening, not condemning wrath. David asks not to be rebuked in wrath or chastened in hot displeasure.
Psalm 38 teaches that sin affects the whole person. David describes spiritual guilt, emotional sorrow, bodily weakness, social isolation, and mental turmoil.
Psalm 38 teaches that true repentance names sin honestly. David calls his condition “my sin,” “mine iniquities,” and “my foolishness.”
Psalm 38 teaches that guilt can become a burden too heavy to carry. This points the sinner to the need for the Lord, who alone can give rest to the heavy laden.
Psalm 38 teaches that hidden sin festers like a corrupt wound. Sin must be confessed, cleansed, and healed by the mercy of God.
Psalm 38 teaches that broken prayers are still prayers. David groans and roars because of the disquietness of his heart, yet he brings that pain before God.
Psalm 38 teaches that transparency before God is necessary. David says, “Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.”
Psalm 38 teaches that friends and family may fail in the day of affliction. David’s loved ones, friends, and kinsmen stand afar off, but the Lord remains his hope.
Psalm 38 teaches that enemies often exploit weakness. David’s enemies lay snares, speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all day long.
Psalm 38 teaches that silence before accusers can be an act of submission to God. David becomes like a deaf and mute man, and this points forward to Christ’s perfect silence before His accusers.
Psalm 38 teaches that hope must be placed in the Lord even when feelings are dark. David says, “For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.”
Psalm 38 teaches that godly sorrow includes confession and grief over sin. David declares his iniquity and is sorry for his sin.
Psalm 38 teaches that a repentant believer may still face wrongful hatred. David confesses his own sin, yet also recognizes that his enemies hate him wrongfully.
Psalm 38 teaches that the Lord’s nearness is the deepest need of the chastened soul. David pleads, “Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.”
Psalm 38 teaches that the Lord alone is salvation. David ends with the cry, “O Lord my salvation.” The sinner has no hope in himself, but only in the saving mercy of God.
Psalm 38 also points forward to Christ. David suffered under the burden of his own sin, but Christ bore the burden of His people’s sin. David’s silence, affliction, and plea for salvation foreshadow the greater suffering of the sinless Savior, who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.
