LIKE A BURDEN TOO HEAVY TO BEAR

Passage: Psalms 38:1-22

Key verse: 22

NIV

Psalm 38[a]
A psalm of David. A petition.

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.(A)
2 Your arrows(B) have pierced me,
    and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health(C) in my body;
    there is no soundness in my bones(D) because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed(E) me
    like a burden too heavy to bear.(F)

5 My wounds(G) fester and are loathsome(H)
    because of my sinful folly.(I)
6 I am bowed down(J) and brought very low;
    all day long I go about mourning.(K)
7 My back is filled with searing pain;(L)
    there is no health(M) in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;(N)
    I groan(O) in anguish of heart.(P)

9 All my longings(Q) lie open before you, Lord;
    my sighing(R) is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(S) my strength fails(T) me;
    even the light has gone from my eyes.(U)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(V)
    my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(W)
    those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(X)
    all day long they scheme and lie.(Y)

13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(Z)
    like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
    whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(AA) for you;
    you will answer,(AB) Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(AC)
    or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(AD)

17 For I am about to fall,(AE)
    and my pain(AF) is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(AG)
    I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(AH) without cause[b];
    those who hate me(AI) without reason(AJ) are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(AK)
    lodge accusations(AL) against me,
    though I seek only to do what is good.

21 Lord, do not forsake me;(AM)
    do not be far(AN) from me, my God.
22 Come quickly(AO) to help me,(AP)
    my Lord and my Savior.(AQ)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
  2. Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text my vigorous enemies
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, (A)for the memorial offering.

38 O Lord, (B)rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your (C)arrows have sunk into me,
    and your hand (D)has come down on me.

3 There is (E)no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my (F)bones
    because of my sin.
4 For my (G)iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
6 I am (H)utterly bowed down and (I)prostrate;
    all the day I (J)go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is (K)no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
    I (L)groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my (M)sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and (N)the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My (O)friends and companions (P)stand aloof from my (Q)plague,
    and my nearest kin (R)stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life (S)lay their snares;
    those who seek my hurt (T)speak of ruin
    and meditate (U)treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
    like (V)a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
    and in whose mouth are no (W)rebukes.

15 But for (X)you, O Lord, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only (Y)let them not rejoice over me,
    who (Z)boast against me when my (AA)foot slips!”

17 For I am (AB)ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
18 I (AC)confess my iniquity;
    I am (AD)sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me (AE)wrongfully.
20 Those who (AF)render me evil for good
    (AG)accuse me because I (AH)follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!
    O my God, be not (AI)far from me!
22 (AJ)Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my (AK)salvation!

Read full chapter
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. My guilt has overwhelmed me (1-14)

David came to God with his sin. He approached God who judges sin. Sin is a burden too heavy to bear. It invites God's wrath and makes men sick in every way. Sin causes unbearable anguish. David suffered because his friends avoided him, and his enemies hoped for his downfall. But he brought all his longings before the Lord. Only God can deal with the matter of sin. In his helplessness David sought God's help.

2. LORD, I wait for you (15-22)

God is the sole judge of sin. He is also merciful to sinners who repent and turn to him. David came to God, and he waited on his answer. He trusted that God would come to his aid and ease of all of his troubles. God is not like people in this world who gloat when God's people suffer. The LORD Is with us and will not forsake us. He is our Savior.

Prayer: LORD, help me to entrust myself to you for the forgiveness of sin. Help me to wait on you as my Savior.

One Word: Bring your sin burden to God