The Meaning of Psalms 38:5 Explained

Psalms 38:5

KJV: My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

YLT: Stunk -- become corrupt have my wounds, Because of my folly.

Darby: My wounds stink, they are corrupt, because of my foolishness.

ASV: My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, Because of my foolishness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My wounds  stink  [and] are corrupt  because  of my foolishness. 

What does Psalms 38:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 38

1  David moves God to take compassion on his pitiful case

What do the individual words in Psalms 38:5 mean?

Are foul [and] festering My wounds because of my foolishness
הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ נָ֭מַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י אִוַּלְתִּֽי

הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ  Are  foul 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּאַשׁ  
Sense: to have a bad smell, stink, smell bad.
נָ֭מַקּוּ  [and]  festering 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָקַק  
Sense: to decay, pine away, rot, fester.
חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י  My  wounds 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: חַבּוּרָה  
Sense: bruise, stripe, wound, blow.
מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י  because 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אִוַּלְתִּֽי  of  my  foolishness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אִוֶּלֶת  
Sense: foolishness, folly.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 38:5?

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