A penitential psalm: David's iniquities overwhelm him like a heavy burden. His wounds stink because of his foolishness; he is bent and bowed low. His heart throbs; his strength fails; friends stand aloof. He is like a deaf man who hears not. He confesses his iniquity and is sorry for his sin. Forsake me not, O LORD; make haste to help me.
Read Psalms Chapter 38 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Places in This Chapter
Position in Book
Book IChapters 1-41
Mostly Davidic psalms exploring themes of the righteous versus the wicked, trust in God, and personal devotion.
Book IIChapters 42-72
Book IIIChapters 73-89
Book IVChapters 90-106
Book VChapters 107-150
Bible Bites
'The apple of my eye' comes from the Bible
The everyday phrase 'the apple of my eye', meaning someone deeply cherished, comes straight from Scripture: 'Keep me as the apple of your eye' (Psalm 17:8). Many common English sayings, from 'a drop in the bucket' to 'the writing on the wall,' were born in the Bible.
Psalm 17:8The Longest Book by Chapter Count
With 150 chapters (psalms), the book of Psalms contains more chapters than any other book in the Bible. These ancient songs range from the shortest chapter in Scripture (Psalm 117 with just 2 verses) to the longest (Psalm 119 with 176 verses).
PsalmsNobody knows what 'Selah' means
The little word 'Selah' appears about 74 times in the Psalms, and its exact meaning has been lost. It may signal a musical pause, a swelling of the instruments, or a moment to stop and reflect. After thousands of years, it remains one of the Bible's small unsolved mysteries.
Psalms