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Psalm 38, Part 2 of 3

Verses 9-14

9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;

my sighing is not hidden from you.

10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me;

even the light has gone from my eyes.

11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;

my neighbors stay far away.

12 Those who seek my life set their traps,

those who would harm me talk of my ruin;

all day long they plot deception.

13 I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear,

like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;

14 I have become like a man who does not hear,

whose mouth can offer no reply.

David started off (in verse 1) with calling God by His name (Yahweh). Here, he address Him as Lord. A very interesting change in tone and demeanor. He will use both names later in the Psalm. For a brief moment (in verse 9), he stopped navel-gazing and looked to His master Who knew his heart and was aware of His sufferings (by David’s own hand). Remember, these are not the ramblings of someone simply having a pity party but someone who is describing what sin has done in his life! Take careful note!

Cry to God (verses 9-10)

Interesting question this brings up: if God already knows, then why pray? Because God has commanded us to pray, and “you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2, nkjv).

Praying is not for telling God something He doesn’t already know (because He already knows!). Prayer is for changing our hearts and minds. As a form of worship, prayer centers our minds on God and eventually in prayer our thoughts will turn to Him. Prayer isn’t a theological idea to scrutinize and clarify; instead, it’s a privilege to cherish and a blessing to claim.1

See the loneliness sin brings (verses 11-14)

  • Friends are noticeably absent (verse 11).
  • Enemies are taking advantage of the situation (verse 12).
  • Guilt and remorse plague his mind and soul (verses 13-14).

Sin will take you farther than you want to go,

keep you longer than you want to stay

and cost you more than you want to pay.


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1Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, 1st ed. (Colorado Springs, Colo.: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 148.