The big picture
Psalms 38 opens in verse 1 with “O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.”, and closes in verse 22 with “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, sore, flesh, gone, good. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 22Psalms 38:1-8
1–8: O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot…
Psalms 38:1–8 opens with “O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.” and reaches “I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by flesh, heavy, sore.
Context that brings the passage to life
“O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.” The line’s distinctive content terms include chasten, displeasure, LORD. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.” The line’s distinctive content terms include anger, bones, flesh. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 38:1-8
King James Version1O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
6I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
7For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Psalms 38:9-16
9–16: Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from…
Psalms 38:9–16 opens with “Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.” and reaches “For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by LORD, hear, mouth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.” The line’s distinctive content terms include stand, afar, aloof. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 38:9-16
King James Version9Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12They 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.
13But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15For in thee, O LORD , do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
16For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
Psalms 38:17-22
17–22: For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
Psalms 38:17–22 opens with “For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.” and reaches “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by good, LORD, adversaries.
Context that brings the passage to life
“For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Psalms 38:17-22
King James Version17For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
18For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
21Forsake me not, O LORD : O my God, be not far from me.
22Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 38:1 begins with “O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 38:13 forms a natural hinge: “But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.”
The final note
Psalms 38:22 leaves the reader with “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, sore, flesh, gone, good, hear help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What changes Judah's public judgment?
Recognizing his own pledges forces him to acknowledge his broken obligation.
Why is this chapter important to the larger story?
It introduces Perez's line and begins a deeper view of Judah, who later offers himself for Benjamin.
KJV words made clear
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- lest
- so that something does not happen
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.