What does Psalm 38:22 mean?
ESV: Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
NIV: Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.
NASB: Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation!
CSB: Hurry to help me, my Lord, my salvation.
NLT: Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.
KJV: Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
NKJV: Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
Verse Commentary:
David's plight (Psalm 38:1–4, 8, 18) created a sense of urgency. He prays for God to act quickly, to restore David and relieve him of his misery. God's conviction and correction can be deeply painful to endure; yet this is part of God's mercy, since that pain drives us to repentance and reconciliation with Him. A sense of urgency can drive a believer to call upon the Lord for help. Hebrews 4:16 encourages this, saying, "Let us with then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
The disciple Peter sensed his urgent need to be rescued from heavy waves that threatened his life. When he attempted to walk on water, then began to sink, he urgently appealed for rescue (Matthew 14:30). Jesus answered Peter's urgent call immediately. He reached out His hand and took hold of him (Matthew 14:31).
Here, David addresses God as "my [his] salvation." He correctly recognized that only the Lord could deliver him from his sin, his suffering, and his enemies. Even while humbly admitting his sin, and expressing his pain, David was faithfully confident that the Lord would hear his prayer.
Verse Context:
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."
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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.
Book Summary:
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.
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