Psalm 38 6

Psalm 38:6 kjv

I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

Psalm 38:6 nkjv

I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

Psalm 38:6 niv

I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.

Psalm 38:6 esv

I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning.

Psalm 38:6 nlt

I am bent over and racked with pain.
All day long I walk around filled with grief.

Psalm 38 verses

Psalm 38 6 Meaning

Psalm 38:6 vividly portrays the psalmist's profound physical debilitation and intense internal anguish. He describes himself as utterly weakened and deeply damaged, expressing his unbearable suffering through guttural groans that stem from a profoundly agitated and restless heart. This verse encapsulates the crushing impact of his spiritual and physical distress.

Psalm 38 6 Context

Psalm 38 is a penitential psalm, identified as "A Psalm of David. For a memorial." It is one of the seven Psalms (along with Psalms 6, 32, 51, 102, 130, 143) focused on confession of sin and seeking forgiveness amidst severe suffering. The broader context of Psalm 38 depicts the psalmist afflicted by grievous physical illness, which he understands as divine judgment for his sin. Beyond physical pain, he endures social isolation, betrayal by friends, and relentless attacks from enemies. Verse 6 specifically focuses on the profound internal distress that both parallels and fuels his outward expressions of pain. It emphasizes the integrated nature of his suffering—body, mind, and spirit are all overwhelmed by his condition.

Psalm 38 6 Word analysis

• "I am feeble": Hebrew: דָוֶה (davah). This term conveys physical weakness, languishing, and chronic sickliness. It signifies a profound state of being worn out, implying not just temporary illness but a persistent, debilitating condition of profound infirmity in body and spirit.
• "and sorely broken": Hebrew: נִכְאֵיתִי נִשְׁחֵתִי (nikh'eiti nish'heiti). This is a double expression, intensifying the meaning through the use of two strong verbs.
  • נִכְאֵיתִי (nikh'eiti): From the root כָּאָה (ka'ah), meaning to be disheartened, crushed, dismayed, or deeply wounded. It refers to a state of internal devastation, profound emotional and spiritual pain.
  • נִשְׁחֵתִי (nish'heiti): From the root שָׁחַת (shahat), meaning to decay, be corrupted, marred, destroyed, or ruined. This conveys utter deterioration, as if one's very being is deteriorating or in a state of ruin. Together, these terms depict a state of complete physical decay, emotional despair, and spiritual brokenness.
• "I groan": Hebrew: שָׁאָגְתִּי (sha'agti). From שָׁאַג (sha'ag), typically used for the roaring of a lion. Applied to human speech, it describes a deep, guttural, powerful moan or roar of extreme agony, far beyond a simple sigh. This indicates an uncontrollable, visceral expression of pain emanating from the core of one's being due to unbearable anguish.
• "because of the disquietude": Hebrew: מֵהֲמִיַּת לִבִּי (mehamiyyat libbi). Literally, "from the roaring/moaning of my heart."
  • הֲמִיַּת (hamiyyat): From הָמָה (hamah), meaning to make a noise, be agitated, disquieted, perturbed, or roar. This signifies profound internal commotion, an uproar, or restless agitation within the self.
  • לִבִּי (libbi): "My heart." In Hebrew thought, the heart is the comprehensive seat of a person—encompassing intellect, will, emotions, and conscience. Therefore, "disquietude of my heart" refers to a profound, holistic disturbance in his innermost being, a relentless state of spiritual and psychological turmoil driven by sin and suffering.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "I am feeble and sorely broken": This phrase captures a complete collapse of strength and integrity. The dual emphasis on being "broken" portrays a body and spirit utterly wasted and ruined under immense pressure, signifying both physical depletion and emotional-spiritual ruin.
  • "I groan because of the disquietude of my heart": This clause establishes a clear cause-and-effect relationship. The intense, guttural "groaning" is the outward, audible manifestation of the severe, uncontainable "disquietude" or intense turmoil churning within the psalmist's heart. This shows that his vocal lament is an overflowing expression of deep, inward pain and spiritual agitation.

Psalm 38 6 Bonus section

• Hebrew Poetic Parallelism: The verse employs synthetic parallelism, a poetic structure where the second line expands upon or provides the reason for the first. "I am feeble and sorely broken" describes the internal and external condition, while "I groan because of the disquietude of my heart" then explains the cause and manifestation of this suffering, emphasizing its deep internal roots.
• The Holistic Heart: In biblical anthropology, the Hebrew term "heart" (לֵב / לֵבָב, lev/levav) is central. It does not merely refer to emotions but also encompasses the intellect, will, and conscience. Thus, the "disquietude of my heart" is a total, all-encompassing internal unrest affecting the psalmist's thinking, choices, and emotional state.
• The Power of Groaning: Biblically, groaning (such as a lion's roar or the creation's groaning in Rom 8) is often more than a complaint; it is a primal articulation of profound, often wordless, suffering or earnest longing. It is a deep, agonizing form of prayer or a cry from a place beyond articulate language, signaling utter dependence and desperation when words fail.

Psalm 38 6 Commentary

Psalm 38:6 starkly illuminates the comprehensive desolation experienced by one under the profound burden of sin and suffering. The psalmist's outer physical decay ("feeble and sorely broken") is a direct manifestation of his inner, spiritual, and emotional collapse, reflecting the Hebrew understanding of a unified human person. His agonizing "groans" are not mere complaints but involuntary roars of a soul overwhelmed by intolerable internal turmoil, a profound disquiet of heart caused by the awareness of sin and God's displeasure. This verse emphasizes the holistic impact of spiritual struggle on one's entire being. It teaches that the deepest expressions of pain can arise from an internal "uproar" within the heart, prompting a desperate cry to God for relief and restoration.Examples include:

• Persistent internal guilt for a transgression leading to a breakdown in physical well-being.
• An unconfessed sin creating such spiritual and mental unrest that it prevents restful sleep or inner peace.
• Bearing a heavy emotional burden that culminates in overwhelming sighs or unspoken despair.