English / ERV
Psalms 38
Easy-to-Read Version, 2006
- 1[1] LORD, don’t criticize me when you are angry. Don’t discipline me in anger.
- 2You have hurt me. You punished me and hurt me deeply.
- 3You punished me severely, so my whole body is sore. I sinned, and now all my bones hurt.
- 4My guilt is like a heavy burden. I am sinking beneath its weight.
- 5I did a foolish thing, and now I have infected sores that stink.
- 6I am bent and bowed down. I am depressed all day long.
- 7I am burning with fever, and my whole body hurts.
- 8I hurt so much I cannot feel anything. My pounding heart makes me scream!
- 9My Lord, you heard my groaning. You can hear my sighs.
- 10My heart is pounding. My strength is gone, and I am going blind.[2]
- 11Because of my sickness, my friends and neighbors will not visit me; my family will not come near me.
- 12My enemies say bad things about me. They are spreading lies and rumors. They talk about me all the time.
- 13But I am like a deaf man and cannot hear. I am like someone who cannot speak.
- 14I am like those who cannot hear what people are saying about them. I cannot answer to prove my enemies wrong.
- 15LORD, you must defend me. Lord my God, you must speak for me.
- 16That’s why I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies smile at my pain. Full of pride, they will laugh if I stumble and fall.”