Psalms 38:1-20
[(Title.)]
This deeply penitential Psalm is supposed to have been composed by David under some grievous affliction, either bodily or mental, or both, after his illicit intercourse with Bathsheba.
attention <02142> [to bring.]
rebuke <03198> [rebuke.]
raging fury <02534> [hot.]
arrows <02671> [thine.]
hand <03027> [thy hand.]
sick <04974> [soundness.]
health <07965> [neither.]
health <07965> [rest. Heb. peace, or, health. because.]
sins overwhelm <05771 07218> [mine.]
heavy <03515> [as an.]
wounds <02250> [My wounds.]
The soul being invisible, its distempers are also so; therefore the sacred writers describe them by the distempers of the body. (See the Parallel Texts on these verses.) On reading these and similar passages, say Bp. Lowth, some, who were but little acquainted with the genius of Hebrew poetry, have pretended to enquire into the nature of the disease with which the poet was afflicted; not less absurdly, in my opinion, than if they had perplexed themselves to discover in what river he was plunged, when he complains that "the deep waters had gone over his soul."
dazed <05753> [troubled. Heb. wearied. bowed.]
mourning <06937> [mourning.]
<03689> [my loins.]
sick <04974> [no.]
groan loudly <07580> [roared.]
Lord <0136> [Lord.]
Instead of {adonay,} "Lord," several MSS. read {yehowah,} "Jehovah."
groaning <0585> [groaning.]
heart <03820> [heart.]
see <0216> [the light.]
hardly <0369> [gone from. Heb. not with.]
<0157> [lovers.]
distance .... stand <05975> [stand.]
condition <05061> [sore. Heb. stroke. kinsmen. or, neighbours. afar off.]
entrap <05367> [lay snares.]
speak <01696> [speak.]
hear <08085> [that heareth.]
<03068> [in thee, etc. or, thee do I wait for. do.]
respond <06030> [hear. or, answer.]
Here also, instead of {adonay,} one hundred and two MSS. read {yehowah,} "Jehovah."
prayed <0559> [For I said.]
foot <07272> [foot.]
arrogantly <01431> [magnify.]
stumble <06761> [to halt. Heb. for halting.]
pain <04341> [sorrow.]
confess .......... sins <05046 02403> [For.]
concerned <01672> [sorry.]
enemies <0341> [But.]
[are lively, etc. Heb. being living are strong.]
Instead of {chaymin,} "lively" Bp. Lowth would read {chinmon,} "without cause:"--"but mine enemies without cause have strengthened themselves." As this emendation renders this member of the sentence parallel to the other, it is by no means improbable: see Ps 35:19; 79:5.
hate <08130> [they that.]
repay <07999> [render.]
them ...... me <07291> [because.]
