Psalms 38 - Introduction

Heading.

‘A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.'

Compare the same description in Psalms 70. The thought may be that he wanted to bring to God's remembrance the sufferers, whom He seems to have forgotten. Or it may refer to the fact that the Psalm would bring sinners to remembrance of their true deserts, were it not for the grace of God. Or it may have in mind that he wants to remember how God was with him in his extremity. Or it may have in mind that the Psalmist wants to bring men to remembrance of their own sinfulness. Consider how the verb is regularly used with reference to penitent self-recollection on the part of sinners. See for example 1 Kings 17:18: Ezekiel 21:24; Ezekiel 29:16; Numbers 5:15.

The Psalm is often described as a ‘penitential Psalm', because if contains the idea of deep repentance at the thought of sin. It divides into three sections.

1) In the first section he addresses God as ‘YHWH', the covenant God, the One against Whom he has offended by not walking in accordance with His requirements.

2) In the second he addresses God as ‘Lord' (Adonai), the sovereign Lord, the One Who rules all the world and those who are in it.

3) In the third he addresses God in terms of ‘O YHWH' and ‘O Lord (Adonai) my God', titles given in parallel, thus combining the two names and signifying both his covenant God and his sovereign Lord. And he finally ends the Psalm with ‘O YHWH', ‘O my God' and ‘O Lord' (Adonai), bringing to mind the whole range of what YHWH is as his covenant God, as the God of creation (Psalms 19:1) and as his sovereign Lord.

Analysis.

1) The Psalmist describes the chastening that he is experiencing and acknowledges the heinousness of his sin that has brought this chastening on him (Psalms 38:1).

2) He looks to his sovereign Lord for help amidst his own desertion by even his friends and loved ones (Psalms 38:9).

3) He calls on YHWH his Lord for deliverance from his enemies in view of his own deep repentance and his confidence in the true faithfulness of YHWH, Who is his God and Lord (Psalms 38:15).