Psalm 38
Common Metre (8,6,8,6)
Suggested Tune: Bangor
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.
