Psalm 38 5

Psalm 38:5 kjv

My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

Psalm 38:5 nkjv

My wounds are foul and festering Because of my foolishness.

Psalm 38:5 niv

My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.

Psalm 38:5 esv

My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness,

Psalm 38:5 nlt

My wounds fester and stink
because of my foolish sins.

Psalm 38 verses

Psalm 38 5 Meaning

Psalm 38:5 expresses the psalmist's profound distress due to the overwhelming presence and impact of his iniquities. The verse uses two powerful metaphors: "gone over my head" and "like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me." "Gone over my head" signifies being completely submerged, inundated, or drowned by the floodwaters of sin and guilt, implying there is no escape or relief above the surface. The subsequent phrase, "like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me," emphasizes the immense, unbearable weight and pressure that his transgressions inflict upon him, exceeding his capacity to endure or overcome by his own strength. This verse captures the deep anguish of a soul crushed under the spiritual and emotional consequences of sin, acknowledging total incapacitation apart from divine intervention.

Psalm 38 5 Context

Psalm 38 is one of the seven Penitential Psalms (along with Ps 6, 32, 51, 102, 130, and 143), distinguished by their theme of confession, sorrow for sin, and petition for divine forgiveness. Titled "A Psalm of David, for a memorial" (Hebrew: l'hazkir), it underscores the psalmist's prayer for God to remember his desperate state. The chapter paints a vivid picture of intense suffering attributed directly to God's disciplinary hand in response to sin. David describes physical ailment (verses 3, 5, 7, 8, 10), social isolation from friends and family (verses 11-12), and relentless attacks from enemies (verses 12, 16, 19-20). Amidst this multifaceted distress, verse 5 pinpoints the spiritual core of his agony: it is the overwhelming and debilitating weight of his own transgressions that crushes him, leaving him powerless and utterly dependent on God's mercy. This verse is central to understanding the psalm's profound sense of deserved punishment and the psalmist's cry for deliverance from the burden of his guilt.

Psalm 38 5 Word analysis

• For (כִּ֤י, ki): This conjunction introduces the reason or explanation for the psalmist's prior expressions of distress and suffering (e.g., God's arrows piercing him, no soundness in his flesh). It highlights a direct causal link: the affliction is a consequence of sin.
• my iniquities (עֲוֹנֹתַ֨י, ʿavōnōtay): Derived from the Hebrew word ʿāwōn, signifying a twisting, perversion, or crookedness from God's righteous path. It denotes intentional wrongdoing, moral depravity, and the resulting guilt. The plural "iniquities" indicates multiple transgressions, and the possessive "my" underscores the psalmist's personal ownership and confession of them.
• have gone over (עָ֘בְר֣וּ, ʿāvrū): From the verb ʿāvar, meaning to pass over, cross, or transgress. Here, it conveys an image of being flooded or inundated, like waters rising above and completely submerging. It vividly illustrates sin's overwhelming presence, much like a destructive flood that leaves one completely submerged and helpless.
• my head (רֹאשִׁׁ֑י, rō’šî): The "head" symbolizes the highest point of a person, often representing their whole being, mind, or conscious self. When sin has "gone over" the head, it signifies a state of complete overwhelming, where no part of the self remains untouched or above the crushing deluge of guilt. It's a profound feeling of being submerged and suffocated by sin.
• like a heavy burden (כְּמַשָּׂ֣א כָ֭בֵד, kəmaśśāʾ kāvēḏ): Maśśāʾ refers to a load, burden, or carrying. Kāvēḏ means heavy, weighty, or substantial. This is a vivid simile, transitioning from a fluid to a tangible metaphor. It speaks of the crushing physical sensation of a tremendous weight pressing down, symbolizing the spiritual and psychological oppression caused by sin.
• they are too heavy (יִכְבְּד֥וּ, yikbəḏû): From the verb kāḇaḏ, meaning to be heavy or burdensome. The verbal form here reiterates and intensifies the preceding noun phrase "heavy burden," stressing the active, continuous, and overwhelming nature of the weight. It denotes that the burden is beyond endurance or manageability.
• for me (מִמֶּֽנִּי, mimmennî): This phrase indicates the personal, subjective experience of the crushing weight. It underscores the psalmist's personal inability and lack of strength to carry, remove, or withstand the overwhelming burden of his own iniquities.

Words-group analysis

• "For my iniquities have gone over my head": This clause metaphorically portrays sin as a surging flood or an overwhelming ocean current that has risen so high it completely submerges the psalmist. It suggests a loss of control, a feeling of drowning in guilt and its consequences, and an inability to find stable ground or breathe free. It underscores the pervasive, all-encompassing nature of his sin.
• "Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me": This parallel clause reinforces the first metaphor with an image of immense physical weight. It describes the oppressive and debilitating effect of sin as an unbearable load that crushes the psalmist's spirit and strength. The repetition of the concept of "heaviness" ("heavy burden" and "too heavy") emphasizes the overwhelming, incapacitating nature of this spiritual load, signifying complete personal inability to alleviate or escape it by human effort.

Psalm 38 5 Bonus section

This powerful confession by David, pre-dating Christ's atoning work, implicitly points to humanity's inherent need for a sin-bearer. The insufferable "heavy burden" the psalmist describes finds its ultimate answer in Jesus Christ, who "himself bore our sins in his body on the tree" (1 Pet 2:24), fulfilling the prophetic imagery of Him bearing our griefs and sorrows (Isa 53:4). The utter inability expressed by "too heavy for me" beautifully contrasts with Christ's invitation, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt 11:28-30). Thus, David's lament foreshadows the relief and liberation that only the Messiah could provide. This verse also serves as a potent reminder that the consequences of sin are personal and deeply internal before God, often leading to a sense of profound isolation and self-condemnation that no human effort or societal solution can truly address.

Psalm 38 5 Commentary

Psalm 38:5 is a deeply emotive declaration of the devastating impact of sin on the human soul. David's words illustrate that sin is not merely an abstract theological concept but a palpable, crushing reality that profoundly affects one's entire being. The imagery of being drowned by "iniquities going over my head" and oppressed by an "unbearably heavy burden" conveys a comprehensive spiritual and emotional crisis. It reflects a soul in agony, fully cognizant that their transgressions have not just accumulated but have actively enveloped and incapacitated them. This verse transcends mere remorse, portraying a state of utter hopelessness and an acute awareness that one's own power is insufficient to resolve the profound problem of sin. It highlights the biblical truth that sin carries genuine, overwhelming consequences, leading to an existential despair that ultimately drives the sinner to seek divine grace, recognizing that only God can alleviate such an insurmountable spiritual load.

Examples of the burden of sin:

1. The gnawing guilt felt after a deliberate betrayal of trust, where the memory of the act becomes a constant weight.
2. The deep emotional and spiritual weariness experienced when caught in a habitual sin, leading to a sense of being trapped and unable to break free.
3. The overwhelming despair of those who realize their life's direction has been contrary to God's ways, leading to a sense of being submerged in past errors.