Psalm 38:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth.

NIV: I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak;

NASB: But I, like a person who is deaf, do not hear; And I am like a person who cannot speak, who does not open his mouth.

CSB: I am like a deaf person; I do not hear. I am like a speechless person who does not open his mouth.

NLT: But I am deaf to all their threats. I am silent before them as one who cannot speak.

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

NKJV: But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.

As David suffers due to sin (Psalm 38:1–4), he perceives that his enemies plot and scheme to destroy him (Psalm 38:12). In verses 13 and 14, David implies that he makes no response to these issues, at all. This silence might have been a symptom of David's convicted suffering (Psalm 38:8). His statement might mean that he wanted to reply, and to speak out against his attackers, but was not able.

The other possibility is that David chooses silence as a humble response to his sin (Psalm 38:18). Rather than trying to defend himself, he might be accepting that only the Lord could vindicate him. Of course, when one is truly guilty of sin, there may be natural consequences. Those might be legal, medical, or social. God might mercifully spare someone from those, but such is not guaranteed. He certainly promises to send conviction and discipline to His followers (Hebrews 12:5–11). Yet even in those cases, a person can rely on God to guide the results according to His will.

If a believer is falsely accused of a sin or crime, he can remain silent and trust the Lord to settle the matter. Romans 12:17 exhorts believers not to repay evil for evil. This does not guarantee that justice will be done in this life, yet God's justice is inevitable. The same passage instructs: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord'" (Romans 12:19).

Peter addresses the subject of unjust earthly suffering. He comments, "If when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2:20). The next verse points to Jesus as the believers' example of suffering righteously. "When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23).

Psalm 38:9–14 shows David's sincere humility. He addresses God as "Adonai," meaning "Lord" or "Master." He acknowledges that God knows all about his suffering, then continues to explain his misery. Guilt and conviction have caused him personal anguish. His sin created isolation from friends and relatives. It has given room for his enemies to attack him. In the face of this pressure, David feels entirely helpless.

David cries out to God in repentance for his sin. He feels the weight of shame and conviction, as if being pierced by arrows, ravaged by disease, crushed, and blinded. His friends have abandoned him; his enemies plot his demise. All of these have been brought about because of his "iniquity." Throughout this misery, David does not abandon hope. Instead, he confidently calls on the Lord to forgive and rescue him.

Psalm 38 and Psalm 32 are similar. They both express David's deep sense of guilt, his contrition, and his confession. Both psalms refer to the ill effect David's sins exerted on his physical condition. Psalm 38's descriptions seem mostly symbolic, but his anguish is very literal. Likely, the sins in question were adultery with Bathsheba and the arranged murder of her husband (2 Samuel 12:7–9). If so, these themes connect directly to Psalm 51. David asks God to forgive him and heal him.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.