Psalm 38

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes: 29 Bangor, 50 Dundee

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.