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Psalms 38:2

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For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 2

This is one of the penitential psalms; it is full of grief and complaint from the beginning to the end. David's sins and his afflictions are the cause of his grief and the matter of his complaints. It should seem he was now sick and in pain, which reminded him of his sins and helped to humble him for them; he was, at the same time, deserted by his friends and persecuted by his enemies; so that the psalm is calculated for the depth of distress and a complication of calamities. He complains, I. Of God's displeasure, and of his own sin which provoked God against him (Psa 38:1-5). II. Of his bodily sickness (Psa 38:6-10). III. Of the unkindness of his friends (Psa 38:11). IV. Of the injuries which his enemies did him, pleading his good conduct towards them, yet confessing his sins against God (Psa 38:12-20). Lastly, he concludes the psalm with earnest prayers to God for his gracious presence and help (Psa 38:21, Psa 38:22). In singing this psalm we ought to be much affected with the malignity of sin; and, if we have not such troubles as are here described, we know not how soon we may have, and therefore must sing of them by way of preparation and we know that others have them, and therefore we must sing of the by way of sympathy. A psalm of David to bring to remembrance.

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 2

חֵץ (chêts, H2671) — properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God)… נָחַת (nâchath, H5181) — to sink, i.e. descend; causatively, to press or lead down יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),

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Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Job 6:4rank 7

For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

Psalms 32:4rank 6

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah

Lamentations 3:12rank 3

He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.

I Samuel 5:6rank 3

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

Deuteronomy 2:15rank 3

Indeed, the LORD’s hand was against them, to eliminate them from the camp, until they had all perished.

Ruth 1:13rank 2

would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”

Psalms 64:7rank 2

But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be wounded.

I Samuel 6:9rank 2

but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”

I Samuel 5:11rank 2

Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.

Psalms 21:12rank 2

For You will put them to flight when Your bow is trained upon them.

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