Psalm 038

1    In thy great indignation,

          O Lord, rebuke me not;

     Nor on me lay thy chast’ning hand,

          in thy displeasure hot.

2    For in me fast thine arrows stick,

          thine hand doth press me sore:

3    And in my flesh there is no health,

          nor soundness any more.

     This grief I have, because thy wrath

          is forth against me gone;

     And in my bones there is no rest,

          for sin that I have done.

4    Because gone up above mine head

          my great transgressions be;

     And, as a weighty burden, they

          too heavy are for me.

5    My wounds do stink, and are corrupt;

          my folly makes it so.

6    I troubled am, and much bow’d down;

          all day I mourning go.

7    For a disease that loathsome is

          so fills my loins with pain,

     That in my weak and weary flesh

          no soundness doth remain.

8    So feeble and infirm am I,

          and broken am so sore,

     That, through disquiet of my heart,

          I have been made to roar.

9    O Lord, all that I do desire

          is still before thine eye;

     And of my heart the secret groans

          not hidden are from thee.

10   My heart doth pant incessantly,

          my strength doth quite decay;

     As for mine eyes, their wonted light

          is from me gone away.

11   My lovers and my friends do stand

          at distance from my sore;

     And those do stand aloof that were

          kinsmen and kind before.

12   Yea, they that seek my life lay snares:

          who seek to do me wrong

     Speak things mischievous, and deceits

          imagine all day long.

13   But, as one deaf, that heareth not,

          I suffer’d all to pass;

     I as a dumb man did become,

          whose mouth not open’d was:

14   As one that hears not, in whose mouth

          are no reproofs at all.

15   For, Lord, I hope in thee; my God,

          thou’lt hear me when I call.

16   For I said, Hear me, lest they should

          rejoice o’er me with pride;

     And o’er me magnify themselves,

          when as my foot doth slide.

17   For I am near to halt, my grief

          is still before mine eye:

18   For I’ll declare my sin, and grieve

          for mine iniquity.

19   But yet mine en’mies lively are,

          and strong are they beside;

     And they that hate me wrongfully

          are greatly multiply’d.

20   And they for good that render ill,

          as en’mies me withstood;

     Yea, ev’n for this, because that I

          do follow what is good.

21   Forsake me not, O Lord; my God,

          far from me never be.

22   O Lord, thou my salvation art,

          haste to give help to me.