Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 38

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath - See the notes at (Psalms 6:1), where the same language occurs, except in the change of a single Hebrew “word,” that is, “wrath,” though expressing the same idea.

Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure - See the notes at (Psalms 6:1). The Hebrew in both is the same, except that in this place the negative particle is omitted, but without affecting the sense. It is not improbable that the one was copied from the other, or that this was composed with the language of the former in the memory. Thus we often use language with which we are familiar, as being well adapted to express our ideas.

For your arrows stick fast in me - See the notes at Job 6:4. The word rendered “stick fast”—נחת nâchath—properly means to go or come down, to descend, and the literal idea here would be, “your arrows come down upon me.” It is not so much the idea of their “sticking fast” when in the wound or flesh; it is that they come down upon one and pierce him.

The meaning is that he was afflicted “as if” God had wounded him with arrows—arrows that pierced deep in his flesh. Compare the notes at Psalm 45:5. The allusion is to the disease with which he was afflicted.

And your hand presseth me sore - The same word is used here that in the first part of the verse is rendered “stick fast.” The idea is that the hand of God had “descended” or “come down” upon him, prostrating his strength and laying him on a bed of pain.

There is no soundness in my flesh - There is no sound place in my flesh; there is no part of my body that is free from disease. The word used here - מתם m ethôm - occurs only in (Judges 20:48), where it is rendered “men;” in (Isaiah 1:6), and in this place, where it is rendered “soundness.” See the notes at (Isaiah 1:6). It means that the body was wholly diseased, but we are not informed about the nature of the disease. It would seem, however, that it was some cutaneous disease, or some disease that produced outward and loathsome eruptions that made his friends withdraw from him, (Psalms 38:7), (Psalms 38:11); .

Because of your anger - That is, he regarded this as a punishment for sin; a specific manifestation of the divine displeasure on account of some particular offence or act of transgression. He does not refer, however, to the particular sin which he regarded as the cause of his sickness, and it is probable that this is just an instance of that state of mind, often morbid, in which we consider a particular calamity that comes upon us as a special proof of the divine displeasure.

There are, undoubtedly, cases when sickness may be properly regarded this way. However, it should be observed that this is not the universal rule for sickness and other trials. These trials come upon us under general laws and, in sweeping over a community, often fall upon the righteous as well as the wicked. Consequently, we should not immediately infer, when we are sick or otherwise afflicted, that it is for any “particular” sin or that it is proof of any special displeasure of God against us.

It is undoubtedly right to regard all affliction as having a close connection with sin and to allow any calamity to suggest to us the idea of our depravity, for sin is the original cause of all the wretchedness and woe on earth. However, under this general law, we cannot always determine the “particular” reason why calamity comes upon us.

It may have other purposes and ends than that of being a specific punishment for our offences.

Neither is there any rest in my bones - Margin: “peace” or “health.” The Hebrew word means “peace.” The idea is, that there was no comfort; no rest. His bones were filled with constant pain. The flesh “and the bones” constitute the entire man; and the idea here is, that he was universally diseased. The disease pervaded every part of the body.

Because of my sin - Regarding his sin as the immediate cause of his suffering. In a general sense, as has been remarked above, it is not wrong to regard sin as the cause of all our misery, and we may allow our suffering to be, in some degree, a measure or gauge of the evil of sin. The error consists in our regarding a particular form of trial as the punishment of a particular sin.

The effect in the case of the psalmist was undoubtedly to bring his sins to remembrance, to impress his mind deeply with a sense of the evil of sin, and to humble him at the recollection of guilt. This effect is not improper or undesirable, provided it does not lead us to the conclusion, often erroneous, that our affliction has come upon us on account of a particular transgression.

That may be so indeed, but the idea that this is the universal rule regarding affliction is one which we are not required to entertain. See the notes at (Luke 13:1–5).

For my iniquities are gone over my head — This is merely an enlargement of the idea suggested in the last verse—that his present sickness was to be traced to his sin, and that he was suffering the punishment for sin. The idea is here that his sins were very numerous and very aggravated. They had risen up around him, or had so accumulated that the mass rose, like waves of the sea, above his head. A somewhat similar idea—though the thought there refers rather to the number of sins than the degree of guilt—occurs in (Psalms 40:12): My iniquities ... are more than the hairs of my head.

As a heavy burden ... — That is, they are so heavy that I cannot bear them, and my frame has sunk under them. This might mean either that the sense of sin was so great that he could not bear up under it, but had been crushed by it ; or that on account of sin, “as if” it were a heavy weight, he had been crushed by disease. The general idea is, that the real cause of his sickness was the fact that he was a great sinner, and that God was punishing him for it.

My wounds stink - The word translated "wounds" here properly means the swelling or welts produced by stripes. See the notes on Isaiah 1:6 and Isaiah 53:5. The meaning here is that he was under chastisement for his sin; that the stripes or blows because of it had not only left a mark and produced a swelling, but that the skin itself had been broken, and the flesh had become corrupt, and the sore offensive.

Many expositors regard this as a mere figurative representation of the sorrow produced by the consciousness of sin, and of the loathsome nature of sin. However, it seems to me that the whole context rather requires us to understand it as bodily suffering or disease.

And are corrupt - The word used here—מקק mâqaq—properly means to melt, to pine away, and then, to flow or run, as sores and ulcers do. The meaning here is, my sores run; that is, with corrupt matter.

Because of my foolishness - This refers to my sin, regarded as folly. Compare the notes on Psalm 14:1. The Scriptural idea is that sin is the highest folly. Hence, the psalmist, at the same time that he confesses his sin, also acknowledges its foolishness. The ideas of sin and folly become so blended—or they are so entirely synonymous—that one term may be used for the other.