Psalm 38:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

NIV: Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.

NASB: For I wait for You, Lord; You will answer, Lord my God.

CSB: For I put my hope in you, Lord; you will answer me, my Lord, my God.

NLT: For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God.

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

NKJV: For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.

David realized that only God could resolve his desperate circumstances. His prayer reveals two key facts about David. First, he patiently looked to the Lord for relief from his suffering (Psalm 38:8, 22). Second, although he had committed serious sins (Psalm 38:1–4), he realized God was still his God. This coordinates with other statements in the Bible noting that our ultimate hope, in all circumstances, is the Lord and not anything on earth (Psalm 18:6; 46:1; 121:1–2; Ephesians 6:12).

When a believer suffers, it's best to follow David's example. We should be patient in prayer. The Lord's timing is not always our timing, but it is perfect, and He will respond to prayer at the right time. Further, the Lord does not disown His children when we sin (Hebrews 12:5–11). He is still their God, and He will answer them. However, like David, if sin destroys their fellowship with God, they must confess their sin to enjoy restored fellowship (1 John 1:9).

This verse uses three Hebrew terms in reference to God. The first is YHWH, often rendered as "LORD," which is the self-identified name of God (Exodus 3:15). The second is Adonai, a reference to God as "Master." The third is from the term 'Elōhim, referring to a mighty being or deity. Calling out to "LORD…Lord my God" is like appealing to, "God…my Master, my Deity." David folds several aspects of the Lord's nature into his prayer.

Psalm 38:15–22 concludes David's plea just as it began: with a prayer. Having described his suffering, he prays now for forgiveness and for the Lord to silence his enemies. He asks God not to forsake him but to help him. His final words reveal his dependence on the Lord for deliverance. He addresses the Lord as "my salvation."

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.