Prayer in Time of Chastening
1 In thy great indignation, O Lord, rebuke me not; Nor on me lay thy chast'ning hand, in thy displeasure hot.
2 For in me fast thine arrows stick, thine hand doth press me sore:
3 And in my flesh there is no health, nor soundness any more. This grief I have, because thy wrath is forth against me gone; And in my bones there is no rest, for sin that I have done.
4 Because gone up above mine head my great transgressions be; And, as a weighty burden, they too heavy are for me.
5 My wounds do stink, and are corrupt; my folly makes it so.
6 I troubled am, and much bow'd down; all day I mourning go.
7 For a disease that loathsome is so fills my loins with pain, That in my weak and weary flesh no soundness doth remain.
8 So feeble and infirm am I, and broken am so sore, That, through disquiet of my heart, I have been made to roar.
9 O Lord, all that I do desire is still before thine eye; And of my heart the secret groans not hidden are from thee.
10 My heart doth pant incessantly, my strength doth quite decay; As for mine eyes, their wonted light is from me gone away.
11 My lovers and my friends do stand at distance from my sore; And those do stand aloof that were kinsmen and kind before.
12 Yea, they that seek my life lay snares: who seek to do me wrong Speak things mischievous, and deceits imagine all day long.
13 But, as one deaf, that heareth not, I suffer'd all to pass; I as a dumb man did become, whose mouth not open'd was:
14 As one that hears not, in whose mouth are no reproofs at all.
15 For, Lord, I hope in thee; my God, thou'lt hear me when I call.
16 For I said, Hear me, lest they should rejoice o'er me with pride; And o'er me magnify themselves, when as my foot doth slide.
17 For I am near to halt, my grief is still before mine eye:
18 For I'll declare my sin, and grieve for mine iniquity.
19 But yet mine en'mies lively are, and strong are they beside; And they that hate me wrongfully are greatly multiply'd.
20 And they for good that render ill, as en'mies me withstood; Yea, ev'n for this, because that I do follow what is good.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord; my God, far from me never be.
22 O Lord, thou my salvation art, haste to give help to me. — Psalm 38 | Metrical Psalms 1650 (MP1650) The Metrical Psalter, © British and Foreign Bible Society 2015. All rights reserved. Cross References: Job 3:24; Job 6:4; Job 19:5; Job 30:28; Job 31:40; Job 33:19; Psalm 6:1; Psalm 6:7; Psalm 9:13; Psalm 13:2; Psalm 17:6; Psalm 22:19; Psalm 27:1; Psalm 35:4; Psalm 35:22; Psalm 71:12; Ezra 9:6; Matthew 6:8; Luke 23:49; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; 1 John 3:12;