Psalm 38:17 kjv
For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
Psalm 38:17 nkjv
For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me.
Psalm 38:17 niv
For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
Psalm 38:17 esv
For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me.
Psalm 38:17 nlt
I am on the verge of collapse,
facing constant pain.
Psalm 38 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 6:6-7 | I am weary with my groaning... my eye is wasted from grief... | Overwhelming and pervasive sorrow and weakness. |
| Ps 25:17-18 | The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses... Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. | Deep distress and constant affliction. |
| Ps 34:19 | Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. | Righteous suffer many afflictions. |
| Ps 42:3 | My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” | Constant grief and despair. |
| Ps 69:20 | Reproach has broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. | Overwhelming sorrow, abandonment. |
| Ps 73:2 | But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. | Close to falling and spiritual stumbling. |
| Ps 94:18 | When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. | Divine support prevents falling. |
| Ps 116:8 | For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. | Deliverance from spiritual and physical collapse. |
| Ps 119:153 | Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. | Plea for deliverance from affliction. |
| Isa 35:3 | Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. | Need for strengthening of the weak. |
| Isa 53:3-4 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. | Christ as the ultimate "man of sorrows." |
| Lam 1:12 | Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow... | Unparalleled and pervasive sorrow. |
| Lam 3:19-20 | Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. | Persistent and deeply felt sorrow. |
| Job 6:4 | For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. | Physical and spiritual pain from God's hand. |
| Rom 8:18 | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. | Suffering is a reality for believers. |
| 2 Cor 1:5 | For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. | Sharing in suffering, hope of comfort. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... For when I am weak, then I am strong. | God's strength in human weakness. |
| Heb 12:12-13 | Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. | Healing and strength for the weak. |
| 1 Pet 5:10 | And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace... will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. | God's eventual restoration after suffering. |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Christ's ultimate vulnerability and suffering. |
Psalm 38 verses
Psalm 38 17 Meaning
Psalm 38:17 articulates the psalmist's profound state of physical and emotional distress. The phrase "For I am ready to halt" describes a debilitating weakness, indicating that he is on the verge of collapsing or falling, as one might when severely injured or diseased. This speaks to a precarious state of being, where stability is lost and imminent failure is anticipated. Coupled with this physical fragility, "my sorrow is continually before me" highlights an unceasing, pervasive emotional pain or anguish. His suffering is not episodic but a constant, ever-present reality that defines his waking moments. The verse serves as a cry from the depths of despair, underscoring a complete lack of personal strength and a profound sense of unending affliction.
Psalm 38 17 Context
Psalm 38 is one of the seven Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), distinguished by their deep expression of sorrow over sin and petitions for divine mercy. David, the presumed author, pours out his heart, suffering from a severe physical ailment which he links to his iniquity (v. 3-5). His body is diseased and his friends and family have abandoned him (v. 11-12). He is beset by enemies who rejoice in his suffering and seek his downfall (v. 12, 19-20). Against this backdrop of physical pain, social isolation, and malicious opposition, David maintains a humble and hopeful posture towards God, expressing his trust that the Lord will answer his plea (v. 15, 21-22). Verse 17 articulates the very essence of his plight, summarizing his precarious physical state and his constant emotional burden, setting the stage for his appeal to God for help. The historical context reflects a king grappling with the consequences of sin, perhaps similar to the events surrounding Bathsheba and Absalom, yet distinct enough to remain general for broader application.
Psalm 38 17 Word analysis
For (כִּ֣י, kî): This conjunction serves to introduce a reason or explanation, linking the psalmist's deep-seated vulnerability described in this verse to his earlier declaration of trust in God (v. 15) and his quiet endurance (v. 13-14). It explains why he cries out to God, rooted in his desperate condition.
I am ready (כִּי־נָכ֣וֹן, kî-nāḵôn): From the Hebrew root כּוּן (kun), meaning to be established, firm, or ready. In the Niphal participle, nāḵôn indicates being prepared or on the verge of something. It signifies an inherent state of readiness not for action, but for falling. It describes a predisposed vulnerability, a leaning towards collapse.
to halt (לְצֶ֗לַע, ləṣelaʿ): From the noun צֶלַע (ṣelaʿ), which means a limping, halting, stumbling, or even a side (as in "rib"). Here, it powerfully depicts the physical weakness of a person whose legs are failing, who walks with difficulty, or is about to stumble and fall. Metaphorically, it implies an imminent failure, a crippling blow, or utter defeat. It signifies a profound lack of stability, both physically due to illness and emotionally/spiritually under the weight of his afflictions.
and my sorrow (וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י, ū-maḵ’ōḇî): The word מַכְאֹב (maḵ'ōḇ) signifies intense pain, grief, or affliction, often encompassing both physical agony and emotional distress. It is used elsewhere to describe the physical pain of disease or the deep emotional anguish of bereavement. The possessive suffix indicates that this pain is deeply personal and internal.
is continually (תָמִ֣יד, tāmîḏ): This adverb denotes constancy, perpetuality, always, or habitually. It emphasizes the unbroken and unrelenting nature of the pain. It's not fleeting or intermittent; it is a permanent fixture in the psalmist's existence.
before me (נֶגְדִּֽי, neḡdî): Meaning in my sight, in my presence, or before my face. This expresses that the sorrow is not merely internal but manifests as a persistent, visible, and inescapable reality. It is an ever-present companion, constantly intruding on his thoughts and perception.
"I am ready to halt": This phrase paints a vivid picture of a body teetering on the edge of collapse, not through a sudden impact but through an intrinsic, debilitating weakness. It suggests the psalmist is not merely tired but is literally losing the ability to stand upright, symbolizing profound physical illness and utter helplessness.
"my sorrow is continually before me": This grouping conveys the overwhelming and inescapable nature of his anguish. The sorrow isn't something that comes and goes; it's a constant, visible reality, mirroring the physical debilitation. It implies a mind and heart so consumed by pain that escape is impossible.
Psalm 38 17 Bonus section
- Suffering as a Catalyst for Dependence: This verse, and indeed the entire Psalm 38, illustrates how overwhelming suffering and extreme personal weakness can drive an individual to deeper dependence on God. When one feels "ready to halt" and enveloped by sorrow, human remedies fail, compelling a raw and urgent cry to the divine Helper.
- Anticipation of the Suffering Servant: While primarily David's personal lament, the profound and unrelenting nature of his physical and emotional suffering in this Psalm, especially his status as "a man of sorrows" and "ready to halt," typologically anticipates the Suffering Servant in Isaiah (Isa 53) and ultimately Jesus Christ, who perfectly endured relentless pain and was physically weakened on the road to the cross, culminating in perfect obedience amidst deep sorrow.
- Linguistic Precision: The Hebrew phrasing here is highly descriptive. Nakon l'tsela (ready to halt) conveys an established state of being prone to stumbling, not just a momentary lapse. This emphasizes the chronic nature of David's debilitation, aligning with the "continually" (tamid) of his sorrow.
Psalm 38 17 Commentary
Psalm 38:17 distills the psalmist's desperate state to two core realities: extreme vulnerability and ceaseless suffering. The feeling of being "ready to halt" captures a literal and metaphorical frailty, an individual whose strength is so depleted that collapse is imminent. This can resonate with believers experiencing severe illness, profound emotional fatigue, or spiritual barrenness, feeling utterly on the verge of breaking. Paired with this, the "sorrow continually before me" reveals the unremitting torment of his anguish. It is a sorrow that dominates his perception, shaping his world view and blocking out all solace. This is the condition from which the psalmist cries out to God, acknowledging his utter dependence. This verse is not about a temporary struggle, but a prolonged, oppressive condition that demands divine intervention, providing a framework for all who find themselves in a relentless season of pain.