LIKE A BURDEN TOO HEAVY TO BEAR
Passage: Psalm 38:1~22  
Key verse: 22
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.
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.
Footnotes
- Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
- Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text my vigorous enemies
Cross references
- Psalm 38:1 : Ps 6:1
- Psalm 38:2 : S Job 6:4
- Psalm 38:3 : Pr 3:8; 4:22
- Psalm 38:3 : S Job 33:19
- Psalm 38:4 : Ps 40:12; 65:3
- Psalm 38:4 : S Nu 11:14; S Ezr 9:6; Lk 11:46
- Psalm 38:5 : ver 11; Ps 147:3
- Psalm 38:5 : Job 19:17
- Psalm 38:5 : Ps 69:5; Pr 5:23; 12:23; 13:16; Ecc 10:3
- Psalm 38:6 : Ps 57:6; 145:14; 146:8
- Psalm 38:6 : S Ps 35:14
- Psalm 38:7 : S Job 14:22
- Psalm 38:7 : ver 3
- Psalm 38:8 : Ps 34:18; Pr 17:22
- Psalm 38:8 : S Ps 6:6; 22:1; Pr 5:11
- Psalm 38:8 : S Ps 6:3
- Psalm 38:9 : Ps 119:20; 143:7
- Psalm 38:9 : S Job 3:24
- Psalm 38:10 : S Job 37:1
- Psalm 38:10 : S Ps 31:10
- Psalm 38:10 : S Ps 6:7; S 19:8; 88:9
- Psalm 38:11 : S ver 5
- Psalm 38:12 : Ps 31:4; 140:5; 141:9
- Psalm 38:12 : Ps 35:4; 41:5
- Psalm 38:12 : S Ps 35:20
- Psalm 38:13 : Ps 115:6; 135:17; Isa 43:8; Mk 7:37
- Psalm 38:15 : Ps 27:14
- Psalm 38:15 : Ps 17:6
- Psalm 38:16 : S Ps 22:17
- Psalm 38:16 : S Dt 32:35
- Psalm 38:17 : S Ps 37:24
- Psalm 38:17 : ver 7; S Job 6:10
- Psalm 38:18 : S Lev 26:40
- Psalm 38:19 : S Ps 18:17
- Psalm 38:19 : S Ps 25:19
- Psalm 38:19 : S Ps 35:19
- Psalm 38:20 : S Ge 44:4; 1Jn 3:12
- Psalm 38:20 : Ps 54:5; 59:10; 119:23
- Psalm 38:21 : Ps 27:9; 71:18; 119:8
- Psalm 38:21 : S Ps 10:1; S 22:11; 35:22; 71:12
- Psalm 38:22 : S Ps 22:19
- Psalm 38:22 : Ps 40:13
- Psalm 38:22 : S 1Ch 16:35
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
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