Psalm 38: Submission. To Avoid Complaining When Sick.

Peace and patience while suffering. In his distress David makes a complaint against God’s Providence, but accepting his lot he prays for relief.

Parallel Latin-English Psalter: Psalms Index

Psalm 38: Prayer Audio in Latin

{38:1} In finem, ipsi Idithun, Canticum David.
{38:1} Unto the end. For Jeduthun himself. A Canticle of David.

{38:2} Dixi: Custodiam vias meas: ut non delinquam in lingua mea. Posui ori meo custodiam, cum consisteret peccator adversum me.
{38:2} I said, “I will keep to my ways, so that I will not offend with my tongue.” I posted a guard at my mouth, when a sinner took up a position against me.

{38:3} Obmutui, et humiliatus sum, et silui a bonis: et dolor meus renovatus est.
{38:3} I was silenced and humbled, and I was quiet before good things, and my sorrow was renewed.

{38:4} Concaluit cor meum intra me: et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis.
{38:4} My heart grew hot within me, and, during my meditation, a fire would flare up.

{38:5} Locutus sum in lingua mea: Notum fac mihi Domine finem meum. Et numerum dierum meorum quis est: ut sciam quid desit mihi.
{38:5} I spoke with my tongue, “O Lord, make me know my end, and what the number of my days will be, so that I may know what is lacking to me.”

{38:6} Ecce mensurabiles posuisti dies meos: et substantia mea tamquam nihilum ante te. Verumtamen universa vanitas, omnis homo vivens.
{38:6} Behold, you have made my days measurable, and, before you, my substance is as nothing. Yet truly, all things are vanity: every living man.

{38:7} Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo: sed et frustra conturbatur. Thesaurizat: et ignorat cui congregabit ea.
{38:7} So then, truly man passes by like an image; even so, he is disquieted in vain. He stores up, and he knows not for whom he will gather these things.

{38:8} Et nunc quæ est expectatio mea? nonne Dominus? et substantia mea apud te est.
{38:8} And now, what is it that awaits me? Is it not the Lord? And my substance is with you.

{38:9} Ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis erue me: opprobrium insipienti dedisti me.
{38:9} Rescue me from all my iniquities. You have handed me over as a reproach to the foolish.

{38:10} Obmutui, et non aperui os meum, quoniam tu fecisti:
{38:10} I was silenced, and I did not open my mouth, because it was you who acted.

{38:11} Amove a me plagas tuas.
{38:11} Remove your scourges from me.

{38:12} A fortitudine manus tuæ ego defeci in increpationibus: propter iniquitatem corripuisti hominem. Et tabescere fecisti sicut araneam animam eius: verumtamen vane conturbatur omnis homo.
{38:12} I fall short at corrections from the strength of your hand. For you have chastised man for iniquity. And you have made his soul shrink away like a spider. Nevertheless, it is in vain that any man be disquieted.

{38:13} Exaudi orationem meam Domine, et deprecationem meam: auribus percipe lacrimas meas. Ne sileas: quoniam advena ego sum apud te, et peregrinus, sicut omnes patres mei.
{38:13} O Lord, heed my prayer and my supplication. Pay attention to my tears. Do not be silent. For I am a newcomer with you, and a sojourner, just as all my fathers were.

{38:14} Remitte mihi, ut refrigerer priusquam abeam, et amplius non ero.
{38:14} Forgive me, so that I may be refreshed, before I will go forth and be no more.