Psalm 38, Stomach Burning, Heart Churning

A psalm of David. A petition.

The Hebrew word translated "petition" in the NIV only occurs here and in Psalm 70. Robert Alter translates it as "a call to mind"; Derek Kidner translates it "to bring to remembrance."

Psalm 38:1-4, Overwhelmed

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger 

or discipline me in your wrath.

For your arrows have pierced me, 

and your hand has come down upon me.

Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; 

my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

David's pain is guilt, a result of his own wrong actions. This is a (relatively rare) penitential psalm (see 6, 32, 51, 102, 130 and 143) in which the just king is aware that he has sinned and grieved God.
David, whether due to the intensity of his guilt or to some special act of God, is physically ill, his body reflecting his mental anguish.

Psalm 38:5-10, Searing pain

My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.

I am bowed down and brought very low; 

all day long I go about mourning.

My back is filled with searing pain; 

there is no health in my body.

I am feeble and utterly crushed; 

I groan in anguish of heart.

All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; 

my sighing is not hidden from you.

My heart pounds, my strength fails me; 

even the light has gone from my eyes.

Note the description of physical pain and illness, to go with the mental anguish.  Alter translates the beginning of verse 7 as "innards burning" and ends verse 8 with "heart churning."  The searing pain, nausea, weakness and misery David experiences is vivid to me.  (I've been there; I don't want to go back!)

Psalm 38:11-12, My wounds

My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;

my neighbors stay far away.

Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; 

all day long they plot deception.

This is similar to Psalm 32.  The physical illness scares away the psalmist's friends and enemies in the shadows whisper about his coming death.

Psalm 38:13-14, Deaf and mute

I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, 

like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;

I have become like a man who does not hear, 

whose mouth can offer no reply.

In Psalm 32, David compares himself to a mule who does not listen.

Psalm 38:15-18, Troubled by my sin

I wait for you, O LORD; 

you will answer, O Lord my God.

For I said, "Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."

For I am about to fall, 

and my pain is ever with me.

I confess my iniquity; 

I am troubled by my sin.

David makes a choice, a wise one.  The repentant David confesses his sin and leans on God.

Psalm 38:19-20, Vigorous enemies

Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; 

those who hate me without reason are numerous.

Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good.

Enemies and slanderers are everywhere. (If this is while David is king, this will not be surprising. He already had enemies who want power. Now he has given them ways to attack him.

Psalm 38:21-22, Come quickly

O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.

Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

These last two verses serve as bookends, reflecting the opening call for a savior.

This is another penitential song, a psalm in which David admits that his problems are caused by his own folly, yet he pleads for God to stay near and to not abandon him. I am familiar with that call.