Psalm 38:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

NIV: Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.

NASB: There is no healthy part in my flesh because of Your indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

CSB: There is no soundness in my body because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

NLT: Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.

KJV: There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

NKJV: There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin.

David's health was severely affected by his sin (Psalm 38:1, 18) and the Lord's discipline. Some of the language used here might be poetic exaggeration, speaking of how guilt and shame are affecting David's life. It's also entirely possible that these are real symptoms brought on as natural consequences, or simply wielded against David directly as a form of correction. In any case, David cites God's indignation as the reason for his illness. Of course, not all physical illness and disease should be attributed to sin. Sometimes it is a platform for glorifying God (John 9:1–3). In other cases, it's simply part of living in an imperfect and fallen world. A believer who endures illness with trust and praise serves as a testimony to God's sufficiency.

Sometimes physical distress and even death accompany sin and discipline. The apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian church concerning the proper observance of the Lord's Supper. He points out that many of the church's members were weak and ill and some had died because they partook of the ordinance in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27–30). Apparently, some of James's readers were experiencing sickness because of sin. He instructed them to confess their sins to one another and pray for one other that they might be healed (James 5:16).

Psalm 38:1–8 resembles Psalm 32:3–4. In both passages, David describes pain he experiences because of his sin. He recognizes here that his physical suffering has come because of his immoral action. He sees the pain as part of the Lord's disciplining of him. In the moment, his situation seems too much to bear, making him miserable. It's possible Psalm 38 was written in response to David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

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.