Psalm 38

Here we see a terribly sick David calling out for help to God. It sounds like Psalm 6 -- in fact the beginning sounds exactly like Psalm 6. Boice speculates that the two were written near the same time with Psalm 38 coming first because the end sees David continuing to wait while Psalm 6 ends with the assurance that God has heard his prayer.

The poem itself begins with a three-verse prayer, asking God not to punish out of anger, although God has every right to do so. We see admissions of guilt in verses 4 and 5, and it seems that God has pointed this out to David as the cause of his sickness. "My sinful folly," are David's words and those words ring true in many sinful situations in my own life. David describes his illness at length and turns a short prayer of petition toward heaven again in verse 9 before returning to the description of his physical state.

His is rejected by friends and enemies alike in this debilitated state, and lonliness kicks in. Another quick prayer at verse 15 emphasizes the theme: waiting upon the Lord. Boice speculates that Psalm 38 is placed after Psalm 37 because of the theme of waiting. The psalmist who tells us to wait in 37 is actually having to do the waiting in 38.

David again confesses his sin in verse 18 and concludes by asking for mercy. Certainly David knows he deserves any punishment which God wants to give. Still he asks for mercy.