Psalm 38 (39)

For the End, for Jeduthun; an ode by David

I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may
Not sin with my tongue;
I set a guard on my mouth
When the sinner stood against me.”
I was deadened and humbled; and I
Kept silent, even from good;
And my grief was stirred anew.
My heart was hot within me,
And in my meditation, Fire will be
Kindled.
I spoke with my tongue,
“O Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
So as to know what I lack.
Behold, You made my days as a
Handbreadth,
And my existence is as nothing before
You;
But all things are vanity, and every
Man living. (Pause)

“Nevertheless man walks about like a
Phantom;
Surely in vain they stir themselves up;
He stores up treasure, but does not
Know for whom he will gather it.
And now what is my patience?
Is it not the Lord?
And my support is from You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions;
You made me a reproach to the
Undiscerning.
I was dumb and opened not my mouth;
For You are He who made me.
Take away your scourges from me;
Because of the strength of Your hand I
Fainted.
With rebukes You chasten a man for
His transgression,
And You cause his soul to waste away
Like a spider web;
But every man stirs himself up in vain.
(Pause)

Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my supplication;
Do not be silent at my tears,
For I am a sojourner before You,
And a stranger, as were all my fathers.
Do not forsake me, that I may revive
Before I depart and am no longer here.

Commentary from the Orthodox Study Bible

“Ps 38 reminds the Church of its pilgrim status in the present world (a sojourner and a stranger). . .For God’s people are “to look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
“Meanwhile, 1) the tongue is to be kept from sinning, 2) the heart is to be on fire with meditation on the things of God, 3) man, made by God, is to grow in divine knowledge, so as not to lack or be deadened by transgressions. . . Rather, he is to revive before he departs in death. . . A handbreadth is an ancient unit of measure of about 4 1/2 inches, here used to show the brief span of our lives.”

Comments

God, you humbled me by giving me more than I could bear so that I would cry out to you. Lord, have mercy.

God, help me open my heart to the new students coming. Jesus, provide a spacious place for them. Help us create the best learning environment we can, Jesus. Help us treat the stranger well, for we are all sojourners in the earth, traveling for a short time. Open my heart, Lord. Open my lips so that I may proclaim the good works that You have done. Help me not speak of my frustrations before I praise you for your faithfulness. O Lord, you are so good to us, and we are so grateful. Thank you, God.