Psalms 38 · The Lantern

A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

(Vers. 1.) Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; nor chasten me in your wrath. He who repents should be prepared to endure reproaches and suffer injuries; and not be disturbed if someone accuses him of his own sin. For if he himself must accuse himself, why does he not endure others accusing him?

David made this beginning to the sixth psalm as well, asking to be disciplined in the manner of a surgeon, not a judge, and to be treated not with harsh remedies but with mild ones.

Above, the Psalmist implored divine help against persecutors, at "Judge"; he also showed their wickedness, at "The unjust one said"; he taught us to despise the prosperity of the wicked in the preceding Psalm, "Do not be envious"; but in this Psalm he confesses that he is afflicted on account of his sins. Concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth his affliction.

For thy arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand falleth heavy upon me.

(Verse 2.) And he added: Because your arrows have pierced me. He seems to be saying the same thing as the holy Job; but they are different. For he also says: The arrows of the Lord are in my body, the fury of which drinks my blood: when I begin to speak, they pierce me (Job 6:4). He complains about the wound of his body; here he deplores the wounds of his soul.

"For Your arrows stick fast in me, and Your hand presses me sore" [Psalm 38:2]. "There is no soundness in my flesh, from the face of Your anger" [Psalm 38:3]. He has now begun telling these evils, which he is suffering here: and yet even this already was from the wrath of the Lord, because it was of the vengeance of the Lord. "Of what vengeance?" That which He took upon Adam.

"For your arrows." Mercy has no place except where there is misery. And therefore concerning this he does two things. First, he commemorates his manifold misery. Second, he asks for divine help, at "Do not forsake me." He shows the misery, first, which he suffers from above, namely from God inflicting it.

[There is] no soundness in my flesh because of thy anger; neither [is there any] rest in my bones because of my sin.

(Verse 3.) There is no soundness in my flesh from the face of your anger. Isaiah explained this passage to us: We have sinned, and you are angry with us (Isaiah 64:5). But who can withstand the face of the Lord's anger? Perhaps he can, because the eyes of the Lord are on those who do evil (Psalm 34:17).

Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink.

"There is no soundness." Here he sets forth the effects of the striking. "My flesh is disordered," subjected to corruption and infection. Rom. 7: "I know that there does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, anything good." In another way, it can be understood of the commemoration of contrition; and thus he assigns the reason why he does not wish to be punished by God.

For my iniquities have gone over my head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

(Ver. 4.) And the Holy One groaned, saying: For my iniquities have overwhelmed my head: as a heavy burden they have been laid upon me; that is, my iniquities have surpassed my head, and they tower above me, crushing my senses; for the eyes of the wise are in their head.

"Our head is Christ." When we do something against his precepts, our iniquities go over our head, and we are pressed as a heavy burden on us.

Three things aggravate sins: namely, the multitude of sins, their gravity, and their repetition, because if one sins frequently, it is grave. He says therefore regarding the first, "For my iniquities have passed over my head." This is a mode of speech. By "iniquities" is signified the multitude of sins, because just as water overwhelms a man, so sins submerge a man.

My wounds are offensive, [and] are corrupt because of my foolishness.

For as the putrid humors and matter of flesh, and all those things that corrupt it, are driven out by salt, in the same manner all the irrational appetites … are banished from the body by divine teaching.

"My wounds stink and are corrupt" [Psalm 38:5]. Now he who has wounds is not perfectly sound. Add to this, that the wounds "stink and are corrupt." Wherefore do they "stink"? Because they are "corrupt:" now in what way this is explained in reference to human life, who doth not understand?

Regarding the third he says, on account of relapse: "My sores have rotted and become corrupt." A scar is left from a wound; and so also when someone has sinned and his sin has been forgiven, but there is still a proneness to sinning, it is like a scar from a wound. But sometimes God heals it through satisfaction and the exercise of good works. Jer.

I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

For my loins are filled with a lothsome [disease]: and [there is] no soundness in my flesh.

"For my soul is filled with illusions, and there is no soundness in my flesh" [Psalm 38:7]. Where there is the whole man, there there is soul and flesh both. The "soul is filled with illusions;" the flesh hath "no soundness." What does there remain that can give joy? Is it not meet that one should "go mourning"?

So, he means, my handling of desire not fittingly but wastefully proved the cause of these troubles.… From that desire [as he says in the next verse] I garnered the fruit, which was my stooping to earth, he is saying, and constant bewailing on account of my heart's bitter pangs.

"For my loins are filled with illusions." Here is set forth the cause of the sorrow. According to the Gloss, it is explained that by "loins" is understood the soul. And he says "loins" because there is where delight resides. "And there is no soundness in my flesh," to show that he is infirm both within and without.

I am feeble and grievously broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

"I am become feeble, and am bowed down greatly" [Psalm 38:8]. He who calls to mind the transcendent height of the Sabbath, sees how "greatly" he is himself "bowed down." For he who cannot conceive what is that height of rest, sees not where he is at present.

For no one is in any way disposed to divine contemplations, which lead to mental transports, unless with Daniel he be a man of desires.

"Afflicted." Here he sets forth the magnitude of the sorrow. And first he sets forth such magnitude. Second, he sets forth a sign of it, at "I roared." He posited two things regarding sorrow. The first, that he is saddened. The second, that he is bowed down. By the first he designates sorrow; by the second, dejection; and he must repeat these two here.

Lord, all my desire [is] before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

And who observed and noticed the cause of his groaning? "All my desire is before You" [Psalm 38:9]. For it is not before men who cannot see the heart, but it is before You that all my desire is open!

When the soul does what it can, grace lifts it up easily and God works in it, so that there be a worthy admission of divine matters, corresponding to the Thrones. "O Lord, all my desire is before You; from You my groaning is not hid." Later, when the soul is lifted up, it must not be idle, but should look around.

"O Lord, before you is all my desire." Here is set forth the remedy of consolation. And first he shows that in God alone is the remedy of his consolation. Second, he shows that this is necessary for him, because he has nothing in himself from which to take comfort, at "My heart." Hos.

My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of my eyes, that also is gone from me.

"My heart is troubled." Wherefore is it troubled? "And my courage hath failed me." Generally something comes upon us on a sudden; the "heart is troubled;" the earth quakes; thunder is sent from Heaven; a formidable attack is made upon us, or a horrible sound heard.

"My heart is troubled." Here he shows the necessity that his consolation be from God, because there is nothing in him from which he can take comfort. There are three things in a person: namely, the intellect, the will, and the executive power. The intellect directs, the will commands, the power executes; and these three fail in me.

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my affliction; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

My friends and neighbors have approached me and stood against me. And my neighbors stood from afar. And those who sought my soul were causing violence. And those who intended harm to me spoke emptiness and deceit all day long. But I, like a deaf man, did not hear, and like a mute man who does not open his mouth.

"My lovers;" why should I henceforth speak of my enemies? "My lovers and my neighbours drew nigh, and stood over against me." Understand this that he saith, "Stood over against me." For if they stood over against me, they fell against themselves.

"My friends and my neighbors." Above, the Psalmist diligently set forth the misery which he suffers from above and from within; here, however, the misery which he suffers from his equals. Concerning this he does two things. First, he shows what he suffers from men. Second, for what reason, at "But my enemies." Concerning the first he does three things.

They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me]: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

People who cling to evil thoughts do not stand for truth but for falsehood. They do not stand for righteousness but for iniquity, because their tongue learns to speak lies. They have done evil, never pausing so that they could repent. Persevering with delight in wicked actions, they run to them without even looking back.

"They also that sought after my soul were preparing violence against me" [Psalm 38:12]. It is now plain who "sought after His soul;" viz. those who had not His soul, in that they were not in His Body. They who were "seeking after His soul," were far removed from His soul; but they were "seeking it" to destroy it. For His soul may be "sought after" in a right way also.

"And they used violence, who sought my life." And he was not only afflicted by friends in this way, but also by enemies. Now there is a twofold kind of enemies. Some are mortal enemies and kill. Others are not mortal, because they do not seek to kill; and he speaks here of both. Of the first he says, "They used violence, who sought my life," that is, who sought to kill me.

But I, as a deaf [man], heard not; and [I was] as a dumb man [that] openeth not his mouth.

The just person will want to conform his life to the image and likeness of Jesus, and though accused, he will be silent; if he is hurt, he will forgive. Wrongs done to him he will cover up, not opening his mouth. In this way he will be imitating him who like a lamb was led to the slaughter, never opening his mouth.

He says then, "But I as a deaf man heard not" [Psalm 38:13]. He who replied not to what He heard, did, as it were, not hear them. "But I as a deaf man heard not. And I was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth." And he repeats the same things again.

"But I, as one deaf." Here he shows the patience he exhibited. And first he sets forth the patience; second, the effect of patience, at "And I became like a man." When men are afflicted, unless they bear it patiently, they are first disturbed in soul, then disordered in words. But the remedy against being disturbed in soul is to be like a deaf person not hearing wicked words.

Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth [are] no reproofs.

"And I became as a man that hears not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs" [Psalm 38:14]. As if He had nothing to say unto them, as if He had nothing wherewith to reproach them. Had He not already reproached them for many things? Had He not said many things, and also said, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees," [Matthew 23:13] and many things besides?

History teaches this more clearly. Even when Absalom mounted a case against his father and drew to his side those who had lost cases in judgment, blessed David was long-suffering.

"And I became like a man not hearing." Here is set forth the effect of patience; but this is against the opinion of the wicked, who attribute this to cowardice, not to virtue. And he says, "I became," namely in their opinion, "like a man not hearing," and not a virtuous man. Hence it is said of Christ, "You will not speak to me?" Jn. 19.

For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

For I said, [Hear me], lest [otherwise] they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify [themselves] against me.

For I [am] ready to halt, and my sorrow [is] continually before me.

(Verse 17.) Therefore, for all these things, a beautiful remedy is prepared in the form of a whip, and it offers itself to the Lord, so that it may bear the scourges that please God. I indeed choose the holy kind of whip that David endured with composure; but he chose it because the necessity of choosing one out of three conditions was commanded.

Sin made me deserve whipping, he is saying; thus I submit myself to punishment. I long for treatment at your hands, pricked as I am by the pangs of sin.

The third reason is on his own part, namely on the part of the one suffering. First, he sets forth readiness of soul. Second, its cause. He says therefore, "For I am ready for scourges." No one is impatient except about what he endures unwillingly. When, therefore, one is ready to endure, one is not impatient. Two kinds of men should be considered.

For I will declare my iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

(Verse 18.) If you see your servant confessing his own sins and offering himself voluntarily to punishment, will you be moved, forgive him, and doubt the mercy of the Lord? The judge himself, who is not allowed to temper the sword in many cases because he serves the laws, can still grant a profit from punishments.

"And my sorrow is continually before me." What "sorrow" is that? Perhaps, a sorrow for my scourge. And, in good truth, my brethren, in good truth, let me say unto you, men do mourn for their scourges, not for the causes on account of which they are scourged. Not such was the person here.

"For my iniquity." As if to say: therefore I grieve, because I consider my sin, and to such an extent that I manifest it to others. Hence, "I will declare," that is, I will manifest to others, in which I feel the greatest remedy, which is done especially in confession, which gladdens the one confessing. Prov. 28: "He who hides his crimes," etc. Jas.

But my enemies [are] lively, [and] they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

They also that render evil for good are my adversaries; because I follow [the thing that is] good.

"They also that render evil for good, were speaking evil of me, because I have pursued the thing that is just" (ver. 20). Therefore was it that I was requited evil for good. What is meant by "pursued after the thing that is just"? Not forsaken it. That you might not always understand persecutio in a bad sense, He means by persecutus pursued after, thoroughly followed.

"Those who repay evil for good." Now there is a fourfold repayment. One repays good for good; another repays evil for evil; and these are common to both good and bad, because even a good person repays the evil of punishment for the evil of fault. Another repays good for evil, and this properly belongs to the good. The fourth repays evil for good, and this belongs to enemies.

Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

(Verse 21.) And yet, although he follows righteousness, he does not consider it to be of his own virtue, but of heavenly grace, if he is not forsaken by Christ; and for this reason he prays more earnestly, saying: Do not forsake me, O Lord my God; do not depart from me; that is, men have forsaken me, my friends have attacked the one who is dear to them: they have not drawn near…

"Forsake me not, O Lord; O my God, depart not from me" [Psalm 38:21]. Let us speak in Him, let us speak through Him (for He Himself intercedes for us), and let us say, "Forsake me not, O Lord my God." And yet He had said, "My God! My God!

"Do not forsake me, O Lord." Here is set forth the prayer; and he asks that what he fears be removed, and he asks that what he loves be given to him, at "Attend to my help." Here he asks that what he fears not be removed, namely the presence of God; hence he says, "Do not forsake me, O Lord my God," namely in tribulation. Ps. 90: "I am with him in tribulation." Dt.

Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

Psalms38