Psalm 38:5 - Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger

Audio Bible

Context

Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
…4For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear. 5My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly. 6I am bent and brought low; all day long I go about mourning.…

Cross References

Isaiah 1:6
From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.Job 7:5
My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.Jeremiah 30:12-14
For this is what the LORD says: “Your injury is incurable; your wound is grievous. / There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sores, no recovery for you. / All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins.Lamentations 3:39-42
Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins? / Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD. / Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven: ...Micah 1:9
For her wound is incurable; it has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself.Isaiah 53:5
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.Job 30:17-18
Night pierces my bones, and my gnawing pains never rest. / With great force He grasps my garment; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic.Proverbs 14:30
A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.Isaiah 57:17-18
I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart. / I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,Hosea 5:13
When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.Matthew 9:12
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.Mark 2:17
On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”Luke 5:31
Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.Romans 7:24
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”

Psalm 38:5
My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

Psalm 32:3
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Isaiah 1:5,6
Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint…

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Psalm 38

My wounds are foul and festering
This phrase vividly describes the physical and spiritual condition of the psalmist, often attributed to David. The imagery of wounds suggests a deep, personal affliction, possibly reflecting the consequences of sin. In the ancient Near Eastern context, physical ailments were often seen as manifestations of spiritual or moral failings. The terms "foul" and "festering" indicate a state of decay and corruption, which can be understood as a metaphor for the destructive nature of sin. This imagery is consistent with other biblical passages that equate sin with disease, such as Isaiah 1:6, where the nation of Israel is described as being covered in wounds and sores.

because of my sinful folly
The psalmist acknowledges personal responsibility for his condition, attributing it to "sinful folly." This phrase highlights the biblical theme of sin as a deviation from God's wisdom and commands. The term "folly" in the Hebrew context often refers to moral and spiritual foolishness, not merely a lack of intelligence. This aligns with Proverbs 14:12, which warns that there is a way that seems right to a person but ultimately leads to death. The acknowledgment of sin and its consequences is a recurring theme in the Psalms, emphasizing the need for repentance and divine forgiveness. This confession can also be seen as a type of Christ, who bore the wounds and consequences of humanity's sin, as prophesied in Isaiah 53:5, where the suffering servant is "pierced for our transgressions."

Persons / Places / Events

1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 38, David is expressing deep personal anguish and repentance over his sins.

2. God
The ultimate recipient of David's lament and repentance, highlighting the relationship between the sinner and the divine.

3. Sin
The central theme of the psalm, representing the moral and spiritual failings that lead to physical and emotional suffering.

4. Wounds
Symbolic of the consequences of sin, both physically and spiritually, in David's life.

5. Repentance
The event or process that David is undergoing, seeking forgiveness and healing from God.

Teaching Points

The Consequences of Sin
Sin has both spiritual and physical consequences. David's description of his wounds as "foul and festering" serves as a vivid reminder of how sin can corrupt and damage our lives.

The Need for Repentance
Acknowledging our sinful folly is the first step towards healing. Like David, we must come before God with a contrite heart, seeking His forgiveness and restoration.

The Deceptive Nature of Sin
Sin often appears harmless or even appealing, but it leads to decay and suffering. We must be vigilant and discerning to avoid the traps of sinful folly.

God's Readiness to Heal
Despite the severity of our wounds, God is always ready to heal and restore us when we turn to Him in genuine repentance.

The Importance of Confession
Confession is a powerful tool for spiritual healing. By confessing our sins to God and to one another, we open the door for divine healing and community support.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 38Does Psalm 38:5 contradict modern understanding of disease by attributing festering wounds solely to sin? If David wrote Psalm 38, is there historical or archaeological evidence supporting his severe affliction described here? What drives the tension between the brothers in 'The Power of the Dog'?What if I doubt my salvation?

(5) Wounds.--Better, stripes, as in LXX.

Stink and are corrupt.--Both words denote suppuration; the first in reference to the offensive smell, the second of the discharge of matter; the whole passage recalls Isaiah 1:6, seq.

Foolishness.--Men are generally even more loth to confess their folly than their sins.

Verse 5. - My wounds stink and are corrupt. The writer reverts to his bodily pains. He has "wounds," which "stink" and "are corrupt;" or "fester and become noisome," which may be boils, or bed-sores, and which make him a loathsome object to others (comp. Job 9:19; Job 30:18). Because of my foolishness. Because I was so foolish as to forsake the way of righteousness, and allow sin to get the dominion over me. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

My wounds
חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י (ḥab·bū·rō·ṯāy)
Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2250: A stripe, blow

are foul
הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ (hiḇ·’î·šū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 887: To smell bad, to be offensive

and festering
נָ֭מַקּוּ (nā·maq·qū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4743: To melt, to flow, dwindle, vanish

because of
מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י (mip·pə·nê)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

my sinful folly.
אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃ (’iw·wal·tî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 200: Silliness

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Psalm 38:5 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Psalm 38:5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because (Psalm Ps Psa.)