Chapter 38

1
(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.

to bring Ps 70:1 *title

rebuke Ps 6:1, Ps 88:7, Ps 88:15-16; Isa 27:8, Isa 54:8; Jer 10:24, Jer 30:11; Hab 3:2; Heb 12:5-11

hot Deut 9:19


2
thine Ps 21:12, Ps 64:7; Job 6:4; Lam 3:12

thy hand Ps 32:4, Ps 39:10-11; Deut 2:15; Ruth 1:13; 1Sam 5:6, 1Sam 5:11, 1Sam 6:9


3
soundness Ps 31:9; 2Chr 26:19; Job 2:7-8, Job 33:19-22; Isa 1:5-6

neither Ps 6:2, Ps 51:8, Ps 102:3, Ps 102:5

rest Heb. peace, or, health

because Ps 51:8, Ps 90:7-8; Lam 3:40-42


4
mine Ps 40:12; Ezra 9:6

as an Lev 7:18; Isa 53:11; Lam 1:14; Matt 11:28; 1Pet 2:24


5
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." Ps 38:7, Ps 32:3; Isa 1:5-6; Jer 8:22


6
troubled Heb. wearied

bowed Ps 35:14, Ps 42:5 *marg. Ps 57:6, Ps 145:14

mourning Ps 6:6, Ps 31:10, Ps 42:9, Ps 43:2, Ps 88:9; Job 30:28; Isa 38:14


7
my loins Ps 41:8; 2Chr 21:18-19; Job 7:5, Job 30:18; Acts 12:23

no Ps 38:3


8
roared Ps 22:1-2, Ps 32:3; Job 3:24, Job 30:28; Isa 59:11


9
Lord Instead of adonay, "Lord," several manuscripts read yehowah, "Jehovah."

groaning Ps 102:5, Ps 102:20; John 1:48; Rom 8:22-23, Rom 8:26-27; 2Cor 5:2


10
heart Ps 42:1, Ps 119:81-83, Ps 143:4-7; Isa 21:4

the light Ps 6:7, Ps 69:3, Ps 88:9, Ps 119:123; 1Sam 14:27-29; Lam 2:11, Lam 5:16-17

gone from Heb. not with


11
lovers Ps 31:11; Job 6:21-23, Job 19:13-17; Matt 26:56; John 16:32

stand Luke 10:31-32

sore Heb. stroke

kinsmen or, neighbours

afar off Luke 22:54, Luke 23:49


12
lay snares Ps 10:9, Ps 64:2-5, Ps 119:110, Ps 140:5, Ps 141:9; 2Sam 17:1-3; Luke 20:19-20

speak Ps 35:20, Ps 62:3-4; 2Sam 16:7-8; Luke 20:21-22


13
Ps 39:2, Ps 39:9; 2Sam 16:10-12; Isa 53:7; 1Pet 2:23


14
that heareth Amos 5:13; Mic 7:5; Mark 15:3-5; John 8:6


15
in thee etc. or, thee do I wait for

do Ps 39:7, Ps 123:1-3

hear or, answer, Ps 138:3

Lord Here also, instead of adonay, one hundred and two manuscripts read yehowah, "Jehovah."


16
For I said Ps 13:3-4, Ps 35:24-26

foot Ps 94:18; Deut 32:35

magnify Ps 35:26


17
to halt Heb. for halting, Ps 35:15 *marg. Mic 4:6-7

sorrow Ps 38:6, Ps 6:6, Ps 77:2-3; Isa 53:3-5


18
For Ps 32:5, Ps 51:3; Job 31:33, Job 33:27; Prov 28:13

sorry 2Cor 7:7-11


19
But Ps 3:1, Ps 25:19, Ps 56:1-2, Ps 59:1-3

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 note on Ps 35:19; Ps 79:5.

they that Ps 35:19, Ps 69:4; Matt 10:22; John 15:18-25; Acts 4:25-28


20
render Ps 7:4, Ps 35:12, Ps 109:3-5; 1Sam 19:4-6, 1Sam 23:5, 1Sam 23:12, 1Sam 25:16, 1Sam 25:21; Jer 18:20

because Matt 5:10; John 10:32; 1Pet 3:13, 1Pet 3:17-18, 1Pet 4:14-16; 1John 3:12


21
O my God Ps 22:1, Ps 22:11, Ps 22:19, Ps 22:24, Ps 35:21-22


22
Make Ps 40:13, Ps 40:17, Ps 70:1, Ps 70:5, Ps 71:12, Ps 141:1

to help me Heb. for my help

O Lord Ps 27:1, Ps 62:2, Ps 62:6; Isa 12:2


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