Psalms 38

This is reckoned one of David's penitential Psalms. It was Composed upon occasion of some sore Disease, or grievous Calamity; which he rightly judged to be inflicted upon him for his sins.

O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure I Confess, I both deserve Chastisement and need it, and therefore I desire not that thou wouldest remove it, but only moderate it. See the same Expression, Psal. 6. 1:.

For thine arrows (i. e.) Thy Judgments inflicted upon my outward and inward Man, oft Compared to Arrows, as Deut. 32. 23. Psal. 7. 13. and 45 5. and 91. 5. stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore Or, comes down upon me, as when a strong man lifts up his hand and Weapon, that it may fall down with greater Violence, and make the deeper Wound..

There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there any rest in my bones My disease or grief, has seized upon all the parts of my Body, my very Bones not excepted, so that my Bed can give me no rest., because of my sin Which has provoked thee, to deal thus severely with me..

For mine iniquities Or, the Punishment of mine iniquities, as this Word is frequently used: Which best agrees both with the foregoing and following Verses, and with the Metaphor here used; which in other places of Scripture is generally applyed to Afflictions, and not to... ins. are gone over my head Like deep Waters wherewith I am overwhelmed and almost drowned, Psal. 42. 7. and 69. 2. and 124. 4, 5.: as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

My wounds stink, and are corrupt The Bruises and Sores caused by my Disease, are not only painful but loathsome, to my self and to others.: because of my foolishness (i. e.) Sin, which really is, and is commonly called folly, as Psal. 69. 5. Prov. 13. 16. and 14. 17. and 15. 2, &c..

I am troubled Heb. Distorted, or Depressed; Or, as it is expressed by anoother Word, signifying the same thing, bowed down, to wit, in my Body, as diseased Persons commonly are, and withal dejected in my Mind., I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning Heb. In black, the sign of Mourning, which may here signifie the thing, as signs oft do. When for my ease I rise out of my Bed and walk, or rather Creep about in my Chamber, I do it with a sad Heart, and dejected Countenance. Or, if he did walk further, his Disease had some Intervals and Mitigations. Or going, may be here meant of his Languishing, or going towards the Grave, as this same Word is used, Gen. 15. 2. Comp. with 25. 32. Ios. 23. 14. all the day long.

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease Or, with filthiness: Or, with scorching Heat. The Disease might be some burning Feaver, being also Malignant or Pestilential, either burning inwardly, or breaking forth outwardly, in Carbuncles, or Boyls. It is true, this and the other Expressions may be taken Figuratively, of some grievous Calamity. But we should not forsake the proper and the literal Sense of the Words without necessity, which seems not to be in this place.: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared Like a Bear or a Lyon, through extreme Pain and Misery. by reason of the disquietness of my heart For the great Anxiety and Torment of my Mind, caused by the deep Sense of my sins, and of God's wrath, and of the sad Issue of my Disease; which being added to my bodily Pains, makes them more intolerable..

Lord, all my desire is before thee: and my groaning is not hid from thee I do not utter all these Complaints, nor Roar out that thou mayst hear and know them, for thou hearest and knowest, even my lowest Groans; yea, mine inward Desires, and all my Necessities. And therefore, I pray thee, Pity and deliver me, as, I trust, thou wilst do..

My heart panteth Or, goes round, Wanders hither and thither, as the Word signifies, is Perplexed and Tossed, with many and various Thoughts, not knowing what to do, nor whither to go., my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me Mine Eyes are grown dim; Either, through grief and Tears, as Psal. 6. 7. Or through weakness, as 1 Sam. 14. 28, 29..

My lover and my friends stand aloof Either, through Neglect and Contempt, or Disdain of me: Or, through Delicacy and Abhorrency, from loathsome and sadding Spectacles: Or, through Fear of Infection, or some other Inconveniences., from my sore: and my kinsmen stand afar off.

They also that seek after my life, lay snares for me That, if my Disease do not kill me, they may destroy me some other way.: and they that seek my hurt, speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits They design Mischief, but cover it with fair Pretences. all the day long.

But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man, that openeth not his mouth I carried my self towards them, as if I had no Ears to hear, what they said either to me, or for me, nor a Tongue to Answer, or reprove them for their Reproaches and Calumnies. Which he did not for want of just Answers to them, but to testifie his Humiliation for his sins, and his patient Submission to, and Acceptation of the Punishment which he had brought upon himself. Of which see an instance, 2 Sam. 16. 10, 11, 12. Wherein also he was an eminent Type of Christ, who when he was reviled, reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2. 23..

Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs Or, Arguments, to Convince or Confute them, or to defend my self..

For in thee, O LORD, do I hope I bore their Carriage silently and patiently, because I hoped and knew that thou wouldest Answer for me, and Plead my Cause better than my self; which I would not prevent by my impatience, and avenging my self. Or, But in thee do I hope, (i. e.) Though Friends forsake me, and mine Enemies Plot and Practise against me, yet I do not Despair, because I have thee on my side.: thou wilt hear, O LORD my God.

For I said To wit, in my Heart and Prayers, I used this Argument which I knew was prevalent., Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoyce over me In my Destruction, which also will reflect upon thee; who hast undertaken to defend and save me, and for whose sake I suffer so much from these wicked Men, v. 20.: when my foot slippeth When I fall either into any Gross sin, or into any Misery, or into both, as I have now done., they magnifie themselves against me They Triumph in the Accomplishment of their Designs, or Desires..

For I am ready to halt Just falling into utter Destruction; see Ier. 20. 10. and therefore, if thou dost not help me speedily, it will be too late., and my sorrow is continually before me I am deeply and constantly sensible of thy just Hand, and of my sins the cause of it; wherewith I shall be overwhelmed, if thou dost not prevent it..

For I will declare mine iniquity Either to thee: Or publickly to the World, because my sin has been publick and Scandalous.; I will be sorry Heb. I will be (Or, I am: Futures being oft so taken) Solicitous or Anxious, full of Grief for what is past, and of Cares and Fears for the Future; Partly, lest I should Relapse into the same folly, upon new Temptations, and Partly, lest thou shouldest cut me off, for my sins. Therefore Pity and pardon, and save me. for my sin Or, by reason of my sin, or upon that occasion..

But mine enemies are lively Heb. Living, (i. e.) Thriving or Flourishing, or Prosperous, as Life is used, Psal. 22. 26. and 34. 12. and elsewhere., and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

They also that render evil for good They hate and Persecute me, not only without any Injury or Provocation on my part, but as it were in Requital of the good, which I have done to them., are mine adversaries: because I follow the thing that good is Because I Love, and diligently Practise Justice and Godliness, which they hate, and which they take to be a Reproach to them, and which I did Exercise, as I had Opportunity, in the Punishment of such as they are. Compare Ioh. 15. 19. 1 Ioh. 3. 12..

Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

Make hast to help me, O LORD my salvation.