Psa 38 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Ps 38:1-22: Ps 38 This psalm is a lament and prayer for healing. The psalmist’s suffering is associated with his unconfessed sin. He confesses his sin and entrusts his case to the Lord. 38:title asking God to remember him: The meaning of this phrase is uncertain (also in 70:title ). Summary for Ps 38:1-17: 38:1-17 These verses form a prelude to the psalmist’s confession (38:18 ) and describe his woeful condition. Summary for Ps 38:1-4: 38:1-4 The psalmist’s sins had triggered the Lord’s anger and rage , resulting in the arrows and blows of discipline and rebuke ; as a result, his whole body is sick .

Summary for Ps 38:1-22: Ps 38 ^a This psalm is a lament and prayer for healing. The psalmist’s suffering is associated with his unconfessed sin. He confesses his sin and entrusts his case to the Lord. 38:title ^b asking God to remember him: The meaning of this phrase is uncertain (also in 70:title ^c).
Summary for Ps 38:1-17: 38:1-17 ^d These verses form a prelude to the psalmist’s confession (38:18 ^e) and describe his woeful condition.
Summary for Ps 38:1-4: 38:1-4 ^f The psalmist’s sins had triggered the Lord’s anger and rage, resulting in the arrows and blows of discipline and rebuke; as a result, his whole body is sick.
38:3 ^g Sin can lead to sickness and even death (1 Cor 11:30 ^h). Whether the psalmist actually felt physically ill or his sickness was a metaphor for emotional turmoil, he knew that it came from God and threatened his life (see Pss 32:3 ⁱ; 39:10 ^j).
38:4 ^k The psalmist’s burden results from sin (see 40:12 ^l; 41:4 ^m; cp. Gen 4:13 ⁿ).
Summary for Ps 38:5-8: 38:5-8 ^o The severity of God’s punishment brings anguish that affects every part of the psalmist’s being.
Summary for Ps 38:9-12: 38:9-12 ^p The psalmist longs for a restored relationship with God, but he feels alienated. He finds himself lost and alone as his friends disappear.
38:13 ^q The psalmist suffers quietly before his opponents (see Isa 53:7 ^r).
38:15 ^s The Lord alone will resolve the conflict (9:18 ^t; 27:14 ^u; 37:9 ^v, 34 ^w).
Summary for Ps 38:17-20: 38:17-20 ^x No longer able to endure his suffering and teetering on the verge of collapse (cp. 15:5 ^y), the psalmist confesses his sin (see 32:5 ^z).
38:19 ^aa That the psalmist’s enemies hate him without reason compounds his pain.
38:22 ^ab Asking the Lord to act quickly in times of great need is common in the Psalter (22:19 ^ac; 31:2 ^ad; 40:13 ^ae; 69:17 ^af; 70:1 ^ag; 71:12 ^ah; 79:8 ^ai; 102:2 ^aj; 141:1 ^ak; 143:7 ^al). However, wisdom and experience teach that God’s people must often wait for him to act (27:14 ^am; 37:7 ^an; Isa 8:17 ^ao; 40:31 ^ap).