 | ||
Psalm 38 is the 38th psalm of the Book of Psalms and titled "A psalm of David to bring to remembrance."
Contents
The Psalm's topic is God's displeasure at sin. (1-11) and the psalmist's sufferings and prayers. (12-22). The Psalm opens with a prayer, David felt as if he had been forgotten of his God. It then passes intermittently between complaint and hope. Benjamin Weiss noted the "depth of misery into which the psalmist gradually plunges in his complaints, then the sudden grasp at the arm of mercy and omnipotence"
Written late in David's Life, though Coffman's believes it was early in David's reign It was oft conjectured as a biography of sorts for David. John Calvin thought rather it was David's intent to commit to music to transmit what he had learnt through his life, of the relationship he had with his Lord before he passed.
Judaism
Catholics
From around 530AD, this Psalm was traditionally performed at monasteries, during matins of lundi, according to the rule of St. Benedict. Nowadays, Psalm 37 is recited during the liturgy of the hours on Friday, the second semaine8, at the Office of Readings.
Musical settings
Johann Sebastian Bach set Psalm 38:4 in the opening chorus of his cantata Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe, BWV 25.