The Meaning of Psalms 38:1 Explained

Psalms 38:1

KJV: {A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.} O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

YLT: A Psalm of David, 'To cause to remember.' Jehovah, in Thy wrath reprove me not, Nor in Thy fury chastise me.

Darby: {A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.} Jehovah, rebuke me not in thy wrath; neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

ASV: O Jehovah, rebuke me not in thy wrath; Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Psalm  of David,  to bring to remembrance.  }} O LORD,  rebuke  me not in thy wrath:  neither chasten  me in thy hot displeasure. 

What does Psalms 38:1 Mean?

Study Notes

trust
.
Trust is the characteristic O.T. word for the N.T. "faith," "believe." It occurs 152 times in the O.T., and is the rendering of Heb. words signifying to take refuge (e.g. Ruth 2:12 "to lean on" (e.g.) Psalms 56:3 "to roll on" (e.g.) Psalms 22:8 "to stay upon" (e.g.) Job 35:14 .

Context Summary

Psalm 38:1-22 - The Cry Of The Needy Penitent
A long drawn-out sigh of pain. Some think it should be classed with Psalms 32:1-11; Psalms 51:1-19, as belonging to the time of David's fall and repentance. It is filled with a sense of God's judgments and the profound consciousness of sin. Perhaps David was suffering physically, or he may be describing his spiritual maladies in terms borrowed from that source. His friends stood apart and his enemies were near. But it was wise to refrain from man and to wait only on God. When we are buffeted and derided, the true attitude is our Lord's. As the dumb sheep before her shearers, He opened not His mouth!
In Psalms 38:15 the tone becomes calmer. The soul begins to recover its center of gravity in God. Notice the fourfold repetition of For, Psalms 38:15-18. Faith marshals her arguments. Out of "stony griefs" she builds "Bethels." Like Samson, she finds honey in the lion's carcass. But God will not forsake. He never for a moment withdraws His close attention. The Refiner sits by the crucible, and will cool down the heat the moment it has done its work. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 38

1  David moves God to take compassion on his pitiful case

What do the individual words in Psalms 38:1 mean?

A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance Yahweh not in Your wrath do rebuke me nor in Your hot displeasure chasten me
מִזְמ֖וֹר לְדָוִ֣ד לְהַזְכִּֽיר יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־ בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥ תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי

מִזְמ֖וֹר  A  Psalm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְמֹור  
Sense: melody, psalm.
לְדָוִ֣ד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְהַזְכִּֽיר  to  bring  to  remembrance 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
יְֽהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥  in  Your  wrath 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶצֶף 
Sense: wrath, anger.
תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי  do  rebuke  me 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: יָכַח  
Sense: to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right.
וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥  nor  in  Your  hot  displeasure 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.
תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי  chasten  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: יָסַר 
Sense: to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish.