Psalm 38 - O LORD, Rebuke Me Not in Thy Wrath
A raw penitential prayer linking physical suffering to unconfessed sin.
Psalm 38, one of the penitential psalms grouped in this Psalms overview, opens with David asking the LORD not to rebuke him in wrath. He describes his suffering in physical terms: arrows stuck fast, no soundness in his flesh, wounds that stink, and a heart that pants with exhaustion.
The title of the eiyte and threttithe salm. For victorie, to Iditum, the song of Dauid.
I seide, Y schal kepe my weies; that Y trespasse not in my tunge. I settide kepyng to my mouth; whanne a synnere stood ayens me.
I was doumb, and was mekid ful gretli, and was stille fro goodis; and my sorewe was renulid.
Myn herte was hoot with ynne me; and fier schal brenne out in my thenkyng.
I spak in my tunge; Lord, make thou myn eende knowun to me. And the noumbre of my daies what it is; that Y wite, what failith to me.
Lo! thou hast set my daies mesurable; and my substaunce is as nouyt bifor thee. Netheles al vanytee; ech man lyuynge.
Netheles a man passith in ymage; but also he is disturblid veynli. He tresorith; and he noot, to whom he `schal gadere tho thingis.
And now which is myn abiding? whether not the Lord? and my substaunce is at thee.
Delyuere thou me fro alle my wickidnessis; thou hast youe me schenschip to the vnkunnynge.
I was doumbe, and openyde not my mouth; for thou hast maad,
remoue thou thi woundis fro me.
Fro the strengthe of thin hond Y failide in blamyngis; for wickidnesse thou hast chastisid man. And thou madist his lijf to faile as an yreyne; netheles ech man is disturblid in veyn.
Lord, here thou my preier and my bisechyng; perseyue thou with eeris my teeris.
Be thou not stille, for Y am a comelyng at thee; and a pilgrime, as alle my fadris. Foryyue thou to me, that Y be refreischid, bifor that Y go; and Y schal no more be.