Psalm 38:1–2: “LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, / Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! / For Your arrows pierce me deeply, / And Your hand presses me down.”

February 13th, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

David, a warrior king, used language in this psalm that described God as a divine warrior. And he was asking this Warrior for mercy. This psalm is unusual in that there is no thanksgiving or prophetic utterance, there is only suffering recorded. In it, David acknowledged that he had sinned. He confessed, repented, and beseeched God to extend him grace, rather than wrath. David knew that God was still on the throne even though he was passing through a dark life experience. He had confidence in God’s promise that when we turn from our sin, He will forgive us.

When we are going through trials, whether because of our own sin or just the struggles of life that are common to all men, there is a voice that tries to tell us that we are alone, that there is no hope. But this is not true. God is always ready and waiting for us to turn back to Him no matter our sin. And nothing happens to a child of God that is not “Father-filtered.” Nothing that comes into our lives is a surprise to God.

“LORD, we turn to You and confess our sins, thank You that You give us grace.”

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Psalms 38 KJV

¹ O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

² For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

³ There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 

⁴ For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

⁵ My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

⁶ I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. 

⁷ For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease:and there is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸ I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

⁹ Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

¹⁰ My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. 

¹¹ My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.  

¹² They also that seek after my life lay snares for me:and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

¹³ But I, as a deaf man , heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

¹⁴ Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

¹⁵ For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.  

¹⁶ For I said, Hear me , lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

¹⁷ For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow iscontinually before me. 

¹⁸ For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

¹⁹ But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 

²⁰ They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is .

²¹ Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

²² Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.