TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 38

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A psalm of David. Lehazkir.

אמִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד לְהַזְכִּיר׃

2Hashem, do not punish me in wrath; do not chastise me in fury.

ביְהֹוָה אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵנִי וּבַחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי׃

3For Your arrows have struck me; Your blows have fallen upon me.

גכִּי־חִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ בִי וַתִּנְחַת עָלַי יָדֶךָ׃

4There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your rage, no wholeness in my bones because of my sin.

דאֵין־מְתֹם בִּבְשָׂרִי מִפְּנֵי זַעְמֶךָ אֵין־שָׁלוֹם בַּעֲצָמַי מִפְּנֵי חַטָּאתִי׃

5For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are like a heavy burden, more than I can bear.

הכִּי עֲוׂנֹתַי עָבְרוּ רֹאשִׁי כְּמַשָּׂא כָבֵד יִכְבְּדוּ מִמֶּנִּי׃

6My wounds stink and fester because of my folly.

והִבְאִישׁוּ נָמַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָי מִפְּנֵי אִוַּלְתִּי׃

7I am all bent and bowed; I walk about in gloom all day long.

זנַעֲוֵיתִי שַׁחֹתִי עַד־מְאֹד כָּל־הַיּוֹם קֹדֵר הִלָּכְתִּי׃

8For my sinews are full of fever; there is no soundness in my flesh.

חכִּי־כְסָלַי מָלְאוּ נִקְלֶה וְאֵין מְתֹם בִּבְשָׂרִי׃

9I am all benumbed and crushed; I roar because of the turmoil in my mind.

טנְפוּגוֹתִי וְנִדְכֵּיתִי עַד־מְאֹד שָׁאַגְתִּי מִנַּהֲמַת לִבִּי׃

10O Hashem, You are aware of all my entreaties; my groaning is not hidden from You.

יאֲ‍דֹנָי נֶגְדְּךָ כָל־תַּאֲוָתִי וְאַנְחָתִי מִמְּךָ לֹא־נִסְתָּרָה׃

11My mind reels; my strength fails me; my eyes too have lost their luster.

יאלִבִּי סְחַרְחַר עֲזָבַנִי כֹחִי וְאוֹר־עֵינַי גַּם־הֵם אֵין אִתִּי׃

12My friends and companions stand back from my affliction; my kinsmen stand far off.

יבאֹהֲבַי וְרֵעַי מִנֶּגֶד נִגְעִי יַעֲמֹדוּ וּקְרוֹבַי מֵרָחֹק עָמָדוּ׃

13Those who seek my life lay traps; those who wish me harm speak malice; they utter deceit all the time.

יגוַיְנַקְשׁוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי וְדֹרְשֵׁי רָעָתִי דִּבְּרוּ הַוּוֹת וּמִרְמוֹת כָּל־הַיּוֹם יֶהְגּוּ׃

14But I am like a deaf man, unhearing, like a dumb man who cannot speak up;

va-a-NEE kh'-khay-RAYSH LO esh-MA ukh-ee-LAYM LO yif-takh PEEV

ידוַאֲנִי כְחֵרֵשׁ לֹא אֶשְׁמָע וּכְאִלֵּם לֹא יִפְתַּח־פִּיו׃

 38:14   Like a dumb man who cannot speak up

Psalm 38 is difficult to read, as it is almost entirely an expression of pain written by an individual who is suffering, physically and spiritually. While his bones have no peace and his sins are too much to bear, his friends stand afar, unable or unwilling to help, and his enemies seek to hurt him. His response is: I am deaf and mute. I pretend not to hear their taunts nor do I respond to their calls of malice and deceit. Instead, he calls out only to the Lord for salvation and deliverance. In the thirteenth century, Rabbi Menachem Meiri wrote that this psalm refers to the Jews in exile. He commented profoundly: “The psalm refers to our long exile in which our enemies are many and our nemeses ridicule us and sit in their serenity. We are hated and have no recourse but we pray that our salvation and redemption will come soon. Amen.” Eight centuries later, the redemption has begun and the Jewish people are no longer mute.

15I am like one who does not hear, who has no retort on his lips.

טווָאֱהִי כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שֹׁמֵעַ וְאֵין בְּפִיו תּוֹכָחוֹת׃

16But I wait for You, Hashem; You will answer, O Hashem, my God.

טזכִּי־לְךָ יְהֹוָה הוֹחָלְתִּי אַתָּה תַעֲנֶה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהָי׃

17For I fear they will rejoice over me; when my foot gives way they will vaunt themselves against me.

יזכִּי־אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִי בְּמוֹט רַגְלִי עָלַי הִגְדִּילוּ׃

18For I am on the verge of collapse; my pain is always with me.

יחכִּי־אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן וּמַכְאוֹבִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד׃

19I acknowledge my iniquity; I am fearful over my sin;

יטכִּי־עֲוׂנִי אַגִּיד אֶדְאַג מֵחַטָּאתִי׃

20for my mortal enemies are numerous; my treacherous foes are many.

כוְאֹיְבַי חַיִּים עָצֵמוּ וְרַבּוּ שֹׂנְאַי שָׁקֶר׃

21Those who repay evil for good harass me for pursuing good.

כאוּמְשַׁלְּמֵי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה יִשְׂטְנוּנִי תַּחַת רדופי־[רָדְפִי־] טוֹב׃

22Do not abandon me, Hashem; my God, be not far from me;

כבאַל־תַּעַזְבֵנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי אַל־תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי׃

23hasten to my aid, O Hashem, my deliverance.

כגחוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי אֲדֹנָי תְּשׁוּעָתִי׃