Psalm 38

Psalms · Chapter 38

Psalms 38:20

1O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.6I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.7For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.8I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.9Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.12They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.13But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.15For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.16For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.17For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.18For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.21Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.22Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and [those who] repayוּמְשַׁלְּמֵ֣יu-me-sha-le-MEIH7999A
to complete

שָׁלֵם (sa.lem) 1) to be complete, be sound 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be complete, be finished, be ended 1a2) to be sound, be uninjured 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to complete, finish 1b2) to make safe 1b3) to make whole or good, restore, make compensation 1b4) to make good, pay 1b5) to requite, recompense, reward 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be performed 1c2) to be repaid, be requited 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to complete, perform 1d2) to make an end of Aramaic equivalent: she.lam (שְׁלֵם "be complete" H8000)

of evilרָ֭עָהRA-'ahH7451INo entry
in place ofתַּ֣חַתTA-chatH8478H
underneath: under

תַּחַת (ta.chat) : under/below 1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m 1a) the under part adv accus 1b) beneath prep 1c) under, beneath 1c1) at the foot of (idiom) 1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig) 1c3) of subjection or conquest 1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands 1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun) 1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense) 1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged) conj …

goodטוֹבָ֑הto-VAHH2896C
welfare

טוֹבָה (to.vah) 1) welfare, benefit, good things 1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 1b) good things (collective) 1c) bounty

they accuse meיִ֝שְׂטְנ֗וּנִיyis-te-NU-niH7853
to oppose

שָׂטַן (sa.tan) (Qal) to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose

in place ofתַּ֣חַתTA-chatH8478J
underneath: under

תַּחַת (ta.chat) : under/below 1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m 1a) the under part adv accus 1b) beneath prep 1c) under, beneath 1c1) at the foot of (idiom) 1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig) 1c3) of subjection or conquest 1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands 1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun) 1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense) 1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged) conj …

pursuing myרָֽדְפִיra-de-fiH7291
to pursue

רָדַף (ra.daph) 1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon 1a2) to persecute, harass (fig) 1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig) 1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be pursued 1b2) one pursued (participle) 1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue 1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away 1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

goodטֽוֹב׃TovH2896A
fine

טָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.