Psalm 38 Emotional
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Psalm 38/Emotional
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No healthy spot left
Psalm 38
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Emotional Analysis
This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.
For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.
Emotional Analysis Chart
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
| Verse | Text (Hebrew) | Text (CBC) | Proposition (Emotional Analysis) | The Psalmist Feels | Emotional Analysis Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מִזְמ֖וֹר לְדָוִ֣ד לְהַזְכִּֽיר׃ | A psalm. By David. To bring to remembrance. | |||
| 2 | יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥ תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי | YHWH, do not rebuke me when you’re angry, | YHWH rebukes David; YHWH disciplines David. | • David is afraid that YHWH will rebuke him in his anger, which would result in his death. | |
| וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃ | or discipline me when you’re wrathful! | ||||
| 3 | כִּֽי־חִ֭צֶּיךָ נִ֣חֲתוּ בִ֑י | For your arrows have been shot into me, | YHWH's discipline injures David. | • David feels afraid that he will die. • David feels pain and/or guilt because of YHWH's discipline. |
• God's arrows bring death, sometimes on individuals in the form of sickness (Job 6:4; 16:13; DBI 1982, 206). This concept was also common in the surrounding nations, since the Canaanite deity of war and pestilence and later also Apollo were portrayed with arrows that made the target sick (SBW 1997, 85 and 221). • Throughout this section it is unclear whether David's suffering is caused solely by physical pain, emotional pain, or guilt, or by a mixture of all three. |
| וַתִּנְחַ֖ת עָלַ֣י יָדֶֽךָ׃ | and your hand has struck me. | ||||
| 4 | אֵין־מְתֹ֣ם בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי מִפְּנֵ֣י זַעְמֶ֑ךָ | There is no sound spot in my flesh because of your anger. | Some of David's body is unaffected. | • David feels despair because his entire body is affected. • David feels shame/guilt because of his sin. • David feels pain in his entire body, suffering from either physical injury or guilt. |
• See Story Behind on v. 4 for further discussion of how bones represents the core of a person's being (Job 20:11; Ezek 37:11; DBI 1982, 421). |
| אֵין־שָׁל֥וֹם בַּ֝עֲצָמַ֗י מִפְּנֵ֥י חַטָּאתִֽי׃ | There is no well-being in my bones because of my sin. | ||||
| 5 | כִּ֣י עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי עָבְר֣וּ רֹאשִׁ֑י | For my iniquities have gone over my head. | The punishment and guilt for David's iniquities overwhelm him | • David is overwhelmed by his iniquities. • David feels helpless to bear his iniquity alone. |
• See Story Behind for imagery of bearing iniquity. |
| כְּמַשָּׂ֥א כָ֝בֵ֗ד יִכְבְּד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | Like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me to handle. | ||||
| 6 | הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ נָ֭מַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י | My wounds have become foul with rot | David's wounds rot | • David is disgusted by his current state since his wounds have become foul with rot. • David feels shame/guilt because of his sin. • David feels pain because of YHWH's discipline. | |
| מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃ | because of my folly. | ||||
| 7 | נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי שַׁחֹ֣תִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד | I have become completely contorted. | David is contorted; David is mourning. | • David's pain and/or guilt is great enough that he has become completely contorted. • David is miserable since he is mourning constantly. | |
| כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם קֹדֵ֥ר הִלָּֽכְתִּי׃ | I have walked about constantly mourning. | ||||
| 8 | כִּֽי־כְ֭סָלַי מָלְא֣וּ נִקְלֶ֑ה | For my sides are full of inflammation, | David's sides are inflamed; some of David's body is unaffected | • David is miserable because of his injuries. • David feels despair because his entire body is affected. | |
| וְאֵ֥ין מְ֝תֹ֗ם בִּבְשָׂרִֽי׃ | and there is no sound spot in my flesh. | ||||
| 9 | נְפוּג֣וֹתִי | I have become weak | David is weak; David is crushed; David groans | • David is utterly helpless because he has become weak and has been crushed completely. • David feels pain because of his guilt. | |
| וְנִדְכֵּ֣יתִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד | and have been crushed completely. | ||||
| שָׁ֝אַ֗גְתִּי מִֽנַּהֲמַ֥ת לִבִּֽי׃ | I have been groaning because of the severe suffering of my heart. | ||||
| 10 | אֲֽדֹנָי נֶגְדְּךָ֥ כָל־תַּאֲוָתִ֑י | My Lord, everything I long for is before you, | YHWH sees what David longs for | • David is dependent on YHWH. • David longs for relief. | |
| וְ֝אַנְחָתִ֗י מִמְּךָ֥ לֹא־נִסְתָּֽרָה׃ | and my moaning is not hidden from you. | ||||
| 11 | לִבִּ֣י סְ֭חַרְחַר | My heart has been pounding. | David's heart pounds; David's strength abandons him; The light of David's eyes is not with him. | • David feels helpless since he has been abandoned by his own body. | |
| עֲזָבַ֣נִי כֹחִ֑י | My strength has abandoned me, | ||||
| וְֽאוֹר־עֵינַ֥י גַּם־הֵ֝֗ם אֵ֣ין אִתִּֽי׃ | and the light of my eyes, even that is not with me! | ||||
| 12 | אֹֽהֲבַ֨י ׀ וְרֵעַ֗י מִנֶּ֣גֶד נִגְעִ֣י יַעֲמֹ֑דוּ | Those who love me, my companions, are standing far away from my injury, | David's companions stand far away. | • David feels alone because he has been abandoned. • David feels betrayed. | |
| וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י מֵרָחֹ֥ק עָמָֽדוּ׃ | and my relatives have stood at a distance. | ||||
| 13 | וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י נַפְשִׁ֗י | And those who seek to take my life have set a trap, | David's enemies set a trap; David's enemies speak disaster and treachery. | • David feels afraid because of his enemies' attacks. • David feels vulnerable to attack. | |
| וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣י רָ֭עָתִי דִּבְּר֣וּ הַוּ֑וֹת | and those who pursue my harm have been speaking of disaster, | ||||
| וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת כָּל־הַיּ֥וֹם יֶהְגּֽוּ׃ | and they are constantly muttering treachery. | ||||
| 14 | וַאֲנִ֣י כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ לֹ֣א אֶשְׁמָ֑ע | But I, like a deaf person, cannot hear. | David hears; David speaks | • David is confused since he cannot hear/understand. • David feels helpless because he is like someone who cannot hear or speak. • David feels vulnerable since he cannot defend himself. | |
| וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיו׃ | And [I am] like a mute person [who] cannot open his mouth. | ||||
| 15 | וָאֱהִ֗י כְּ֭אִישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־שֹׁמֵ֑עַ | And so I have become like a man who does not hear | David hears; David has arguments | • David is confused since he cannot hear/understand. • David feels helpless because he cannot hear or respond. • David feels vulnerable since he cannot defend himself. | |
| וְאֵ֥ין בְּ֝פִ֗יו תּוֹכָחֽוֹת׃ | and who has no arguments in his mouth. | ||||
| 16 | כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי | But, YHWH, I have hoped for you. | David hopes for YHWH; YHWH answers. | • David is confident that YHWH must answer. • David is dependent on YHWH to answer since no one else will; he must answer. • David is hopeful YHWH will respond. | |
| אַתָּ֥ה תַ֝עֲנֶ֗ה אֲדֹנָ֥י אֱלֹהָֽי׃ | You yourself must answer, my Lord, my God. | ||||
| 17 | כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי | For I thought | David's enemies rejoice | • David is anxious about his feet slipping because of his enemies' reaction. | |
| פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֑י בְּמ֥וֹט רַ֝גְלִ֗י עָלַ֥י הִגְדִּֽילוּ׃ | that they would rejoice concerning me, [those who] have considered themselves superior to me when my feet slip. | ||||
| 18 | כִּֽי־אֲ֭נִי לְצֶ֣לַע נָכ֑וֹן | For I am certain to stumble, | David stumbles; David's pain is before him. | • David is certain he will stumble. • David is miserable because he is always aware of his pain. • David is afraid he will become vulnerable to attack. |
• From the context, it is unclear whether this pain is mental, physical, or both. |
| וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃ | and my pain is always before me. | ||||
| 19 | כִּֽי־עֲוֺנִ֥י אַגִּ֑יד | Although I confess my iniquity, | David confesses his iniquity; David is anxious | • David is anxious about his sin. • David feels vulnerable because his enemies can take advantage of his sin. • David is afraid of his enemies' attacks. | |
| אֶ֝דְאַ֗ג מֵֽחַטָּאתִֽי׃ | I am distressed because of my sin. | ||||
| 20 | וְֽ֭אֹיְבַי *חִנָּם* עָצֵ֑מוּ | And those who are my enemies for no reason are mighty, | David's enemies are mighty and numerous | • David feels helpless since he cannot defend himself (vv. 14-15) and his companions abandoned him (v. 12). • David feels vulnerable because he is weak and alone. • David feels indignant, since he is unjustly attacked, having done nothing to provoke these enemies. | |
| וְרַבּ֖וּ שֹׂנְאַ֣י שָֽׁקֶר׃ | and those who hate me without cause are numerous. | ||||
| 21 | וּמְשַׁלְּמֵ֣י רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה יִ֝שְׂטְנ֗וּנִי תַּ֣חַת רָֽדְפִי־טֽוֹב׃ | And those who repay with evil in response to good accuse me in response to my pursuit of good. | David's enemies accuse David. | • David feels indignant, since he is unjustly attacked, having done nothing to provoke these enemies. | |
| 22 | אַל־תַּֽעַזְבֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֑ה | Do not abandon me, YHWH! | YHWH abandons David; YHWH is far from David. | • David is afraid YHWH will abandon him. • David is dependent on YHWH's presence. | |
| אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | My God, do not be far from me! | ||||
| 23 | ח֥וּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתִֽי׃ | Hurry to help me, my Lord, my salvation! | YHWH helps David. | • David is dependent on YHWH to hurry to help. |
Summary Visual
(Click visual to enlarge).
