38 A song by David for the memorial offering.

38 Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your anger.

≈Don’t punish me in your rage,

2 because your arrows pierce me,

≈and your hand presses me down.

3 My whole body is weak because of your anger.

There’s no health in my bones because of my disobedience,

4 because my sins overwhelm me.

They’re a burden that’s too heavy for me.

5 My festering wounds smell bad

because of my foolish behaviour.

6 I’m stooped over and humiliated every day.

I go about mourning all day long,

7 because I have burning pain in my bowels.

≈My body just isn’t healthy.

8 I’m numb and completely crushed.

I groan because of the anguish in my heart.

9 My master, you understand my heart’s deepest longings,

≈and my groanings aren’t hidden from you.

10 My heart pounds,

≈my strength fades,

≈and my eyesight dims.

11 My friends and companions shun me because of my condition.

My relatives keep their distance.

12 Those who want me dead lay snares for me.

They who desire harm for me speak destructive words

and say sprout treachery all day long.

13 But as for me, I’m like a deaf man who can’t hear.

≈I’m like a mute man who says nothing.

14 I’m like a man who can’t hear

and so can’t so anything in my defence

15 but instead I wait for you, Yahweh.

→My master God, you’ll answer me

16 because I prayed, “Hear me, so that they won’t gloat over me.

If my foot slips, they’ll do terrible things to me,

17 because I’m about to stumble,

and I’m in constant pain.

18 I confess my guilt.

≈I’m anxious because of my sin.

19 My enemies are numerous.

≈Those who hate me wrongfully are many.

20 They repay me with evil for good.

≈They hurl accusations at me although I try to do what’s good.

21 Don’t abandon me, Yahweh.

My God, don’t be distant from me.

22 Come quickly to help me,

my master who saves me.