Psalm 38-41
1599 Geneva Bible
38 1 David lying sick of some grievous disease, acknowledgeth himself to be chastised of the Lord for his sins, and therefore prayeth God to turn away his wrath. 5 He uttereth the greatness of his grief by many words and circumstances, as wounded with the arrows of God’s ire, forsaken of his friends, evil intreated of his enemies. 22 But in the end with firm confidence he commendeth his cause to God, and hopeth for speedy help at his hand.
A Psalm of David for [a]remembrance.
1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine [b]anger, neither chastise me in thy wrath.
2 For thine [c]arrows have light upon me, and thine hand lieth upon me.
3 There is nothing sound in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is there rest in my bones, because of my [d]sin.
4 For mine [e]iniquities are gone over mine head, and as a weighty burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are putrefied, and corrupt because of [f]my foolishness.
6 I am bowed, and crooked very sore: I go [g]mourning all the day.
7 For my reins are full of burning, and there is nothing sound in my flesh.
8 I am weakened and sore broken: I [h]roar for the very grief of mine heart.
9 Lord, I pour my whole desire before thee, and my sighing is not hid from thee.
10 Mine heart [i]panteth: my strength faileth me, and the light of mine eyes, even [j]they are not mine own.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aside from my plague, and my [k]kinsmen stand afar off.
12 They also that seek after my life, lay snares, and they that go about to do me evil, talk wicked things and imagine deceit continually.
13 But I as a [l]deaf man heard not, and am as a dumb man, which openeth not his mouth.
14 Thus am I as a man, that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For on thee, O Lord, do I wait: thou wilt hear me, my Lord, my God.
16 For I said, Hear me, lest they rejoice over me: for [m]when my foot slippeth, they extol themselves against me.
17 Surely I am ready to [n]halt, and my sorrow is ever before me.
18 When I declare my pain, and am sorry for my sin,
19 Then mine [o]enemies are alive, and are mighty, and they that hate me wrongfully are many.
20 They also, that reward evil for good, are mine adversaries, because I follow [p]goodness.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord, be not thou far from me, my God.
22 Haste thee, to help me, O my Lord, my [q]salvation.
39 1 David uttereth with what great grief and bitterness of mind he was driven to these outrageous complaints of his infirmities. 2 For he confesseth that when he had determined silence, that he brast forth yet into words, that he would not, through the greatness of his grief. 4 Then he rehearseth certain requests which taste of the infirmity of man. 8 And mixeth with them many prayers: but all do show a mind wonderfully trembled, that it may plainly appear how he did strive mightily against death and desperation.
To the excellent Musician [r]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I thought, [s]I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth bridled, while the wicked is in my sight.
2 I was dumb and spake nothing: I kept silence even from good, [t]and my sorrow was more stirred.
3 Mine heart was hot within me, and while I was musing, the fire kindled, and I [u]spake with my tongue, saying,
4 Lord, let me know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: let me know how long I have to live.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand breadth, and mine age as nothing in respect of thee: surely every man in his best state is altogether [v]vanity. Selah.
6 Doubtless man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
7 And now Lord, what wait I for? mine hope is even in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions, and make me not a rebuke unto the [w]foolish.
9 I should have been dumb, and not have opened my mouth, because [x]thou didst it.
10 Take thy plague away from me: for I am consumed by the stroke of thine hand.
11 When thou with rebukes dost chastise man for iniquity, thou as a moth [y]makest his [z]beauty to consume: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hearken unto my cry: keep not silence at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers.
13 Stay thine anger from me, that I may recover my strength, [aa]before I go hence and be not.
40 1 David delivered from great danger doth magnify and praise the grace of God for his deliverance, and commendeth his providence toward all mankind. 5 Then doth he promise to give himself wholly to God’s service, and so declareth how God is truly worshipped. 14 Afterwards he giveth thanks and praiseth God, and having complained of his enemies, with good courage he calleth for aid and succor.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 I waited [ab]patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me also out of the [ac]horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon the rock, and ordered my goings.
3 And he hath put in my mouth [ad]a new song of praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and regardeth [ae]not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 [af]O Lord my God, thou hast made thy wonderful works so many, that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts toward us: I would declare and speak of them, but they are more than I am able to express.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire: (for [ag]mine ears hast thou prepared) burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 [ah]Then said I, Lo, I come: for in the roll of the book it is written of me.
8 I desired to do thy good will, O my God: yea, thy Law is within mine heart.
9 I have declared thy righteousness in the [ai]great congregation: lo, I will not refrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within mine heart, but I have declared thy [aj]truth and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy mercy, and thy truth from the great Congregation.
11 Withdraw not thou thy tender mercy from me, O Lord, let thy mercy and thy truth always preserve me.
12 For innumerable troubles have compassed me: my sins have taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up: yea, they are more in number than the hairs of mine head: therefore mine heart hath [ak]failed me.
13 Let it please thee, O Lord, to deliver me: make haste, O Lord, to help me.
14 Let them be [al]confounded and put to shame together, that seek my soul to destroy it: let them be driven backward and put to rebuke that desire mine hurt.
15 Let them be [am]destroyed for a reward of their shame, which say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all them that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee, and let them that love thy salvation, say always, [an]The Lord be praised.
17 Though I be poor and needy, the Lord thinketh on me: thou art mine helper and my deliverer: my God, make no tarrying.
41 1 David being grievously afflicted, blesseth them that pity his case, 9 and complaineth of the treason of his own friends and familiars, as came to pass in Judas, John 13:18. After he feeling the great mercies of God gently chastising him, and not suffering his enemies to triumph against him, 13 giveth most hearty thanks to God.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed is he that [ao]judgeth wisely of the poor: the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord will keep him and preserve him alive, he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord will strengthen him upon the [ap]bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his [aq]bed in his sickness.
4 Therefore I said, Lord have mercy upon me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies [ar]speak evil of me, saying, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh [as]lies, but his heart heapeth iniquity within him, and when he cometh forth, he telleth it.
7 All they that hate me whisper together against me: even against me do they imagine mine hurt.
8 [at]A mischief is light upon him, and he that lieth, shall no more rise.
9 Yea, my [au]familiar friend, whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, [av]hath lifted up the heel against me.
10 Therefore, O Lord, have mercy upon me, and raise me up: so shall I reward them.
11 By this I know that thou favorest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And as for me thou upholdest me [aw]in mine integrity, and dost set me before thy [ax]face forever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end. [ay]So be it, even so be it.
Footnotes
- Psalm 38:1 To put himself and others in mind of God’s chastisement for sin.
- Psalm 38:1 He desireth not to be exempted from God’s rod, but that he would so moderate his hand, that he might be able to bear it.
- Psalm 38:2 Thy sickness, wherewith thou hast visited me.
- Psalm 38:3 David acknowledgeth God to be just in his punishments, because his sins had deserved much more.
- Psalm 38:4 He confesseth his sins, God’s justice, and maketh prayer his refuge.
- Psalm 38:5 That rather gave place to mine own lusts, than to the will of God.
- Psalm 38:6 Or, black as one that is disfigured and consumed with sickness.
- Psalm 38:8 This example warneth us never to despair, be the torment never so great: but always to cry unto God with sure trust for deliverance.
- Psalm 38:10 Hebrew, runneth about, or, is tossed to and fro, meaning, that he was destitute of all help and counsel.
- Psalm 38:10 My sight faileth me for very sorrow.
- Psalm 38:11 Partly for fear and partly for pride, they denied all duty and friendship.
- Psalm 38:13 For I can have no audience before men, and therefore patiently wait for the help of God.
- Psalm 38:16 That is, if they see that thou succor me not in time, they will mock and triumph, as though thou hadst forsaken me.
- Psalm 38:17 I am without hope to recover my strength.
- Psalm 38:19 In my greatest misery they most rejoice.
- Psalm 38:20 He had rather have the hatred of all the world, than to fail in any part of his duty to Godward.
- Psalm 38:22 Which are the author of my salvation: and this declareth that he prayed with sure hope of deliverance.
- Psalm 39:1 This was one of the chief singers, 1 Chron. 16:41.
- Psalm 39:1 Albeit he had appointed with himself patiently to have tarried God’s leisure, yet the vehemency of his pain caused him to break his purpose.
- Psalm 39:2 Though when the wicked ruled, he thought to have kept silence, yet his zeal caused him to change his mind.
- Psalm 39:3 He confesseth that he grudged against God, considering the greatness of his sorrows, and the shortness of his life.
- Psalm 39:5 Yet David offended in that that he reasoned with God as though that he were too severe toward his weak creature.
- Psalm 39:8 Make me not a mocking stock to the wicked, or wrap me not up with the wicked, when they are put to shame.
- Psalm 39:9 Seeing my troubles came of thy providence, I ought to have endured them patiently.
- Psalm 39:11 Though thine open plagues light not evermore upon them, yet thy secret curse continually fretteth them.
- Psalm 39:11 The word signifieth all that he desireth, as health, force, strength, beauty, and in whatsoever he hath delight, so that the rod of God taketh away all that is desired in this world.
- Psalm 39:13 For his sorrow caused him to think that God would destroy him utterly: whereby we see how hard it is for the very Saints to keep a measure in their words, when death and despair assail them.
- Psalm 40:1 Though God deferred his help, yet he patiently abode till he was heard.
- Psalm 40:2 He hath delivered me from most great dangers.
- Psalm 40:3 That is, a special occasion to praise him: for God’s benefits are so many occasions for us to praise his Name.
- Psalm 40:4 To follow their example, which he must needs do that trusteth not only in the Lord.
- Psalm 40:5 David goeth from one kind of God’s favor to the contemplation of his providence over all, and confesseth that his counsels towards us are far above our capacities: we cannot so much as tell them in order.
- Psalm 40:6 Thou hast opened mine ears to understand the spiritual meaning of the sacrifices: and here David esteemeth the ceremonies of the law nothing in respect of the spiritual service.
- Psalm 40:7 When thou hadst opened mine ears and heart, I was ready to obey thee, being assured that I was written in the book of thine elect for this end.
- Psalm 40:9 In the Church assembled in the Sanctuary.
- Psalm 40:10 David here numbereth 3 degrees of our salvation: God’s mercy, whereby he pitieth us: his righteousness, which signifieth his continual protection: and his truth, whereby appeareth his constant favor, so that hereof proceedeth our salvation.
- Psalm 40:12 As touching the judgment of the flesh, I was utterly destitute of all counsel, yet faith inwardly moved mine heart to pray.
- Psalm 40:14 He desireth that God’s mercy may contend for him against the rage of his enemies.
- Psalm 40:15 Let the same shame and confusion light upon them, which they intended to have brought upon me.
- Psalm 40:16 As the faithful always praise God for his benefits, so the wicked mocked God’s children in their afflictions.
- Psalm 41:1 Not condemning him as accursed whom God doth visit, knowing that there are divers causes why God layeth his hand upon us, yea and afterward he restoreth us.
- Psalm 41:3 When for sorrow and grief of mind he calleth himself upon his bed.
- Psalm 41:3 Thou hast restored him in his sick bed and sent him comfort.
- Psalm 41:5 That is, curse me and cannot have their cruel hate quenched, but with my shameful death.
- Psalm 41:6 For pretending to comfort me, he conspireth my death in his heart, and braggeth thereof.
- Psalm 41:8 The enemies thought by his sharp punishments that God was become his mortal enemy.
- Psalm 41:9 Hebrew, the man of my peace.
- Psalm 41:9 As David felt this falsehood, and as it was chiefly accomplished in Christ, John 13:18, so shall his members continually prove the same.
- Psalm 41:12 Meaning, either in prosperity of life, or in the true fear of God against all tentations.
- Psalm 41:12 Showing me evident signs of thy fatherly providence.
- Psalm 41:13 By this repetition he stirreth up the faithful to praise God.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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