Psalms 38:1

KJV

¶ A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

KJV (with Strong's)

A Psalm {H4210} of David {H1732}, to bring to remembrance {H2142}. O LORD {H3068}, rebuke {H3198}{H8686)} me not in thy wrath {H7110}: neither chasten {H3256}{H8762)} me in thy hot displeasure {H2534}.

Complete Jewish Bible

A psalm of David, serving as a reminder: ADONAI, don't rebuke me when you are angry or discipline me when you are enraged,

Berean Standard Bible

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.

American Standard Version

O Jehovah, rebuke me not in thy wrath; Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 38:1 opens a profound penitential psalm with an earnest, urgent plea from David to the Lord. He implores that divine correction not be administered in the full, destructive force of God's wrath or consuming hot displeasure. Acknowledging his own sin and the impending consequences, David seeks a merciful, restorative discipline rather than an annihilating judgment, thereby setting the tone for a psalm characterized by deep anguish, confession, and a hopeful appeal for God's compassionate intervention amidst severe personal suffering.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 38 is explicitly titled "A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance," suggesting it was either a personal prayer for God to remember David in his affliction or a psalm intended to remind David (and the reader) of the gravity of sin and the nature of divine discipline. It is one of the seven traditional [Penitential Psalms](/psalms/6 "The Penitential Psalms"), alongside [Psalms 6](/psalms/6 "Psalm 6 - A Prayer in Distress"), [32](/psalms/32 "Psalm 32 - The Joy of Forgiveness"), [51](/psalms/51 "Psalm 51 - A Prayer of Repentance"), [102](/psalms/102 "Psalm 102 - A Prayer of an Afflicted Man"), [130](/psalms/130 "Psalm 130 - Out of the Depths"), and [143](/psalms/143 "Psalm 143 - A Prayer for Deliverance"). These psalms are characterized by a deep confession of sin, profound sorrow, and an earnest plea for God's mercy and forgiveness. The opening verse immediately establishes the psalm's central theme: a desperate cry for God's discipline to be tempered by grace, anticipating the vivid descriptions of physical and emotional suffering that follow, which David attributes to his iniquities, as seen in passages like [Psalms 38:3-5](/psalms/38-3-5 "Psalm 38:3-5 - Consequences of Sin").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the specific historical occasion for Psalm 38 is not explicitly stated, its themes resonate deeply with various periods of David's life marked by sin and its painful consequences, such as his adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah, detailed in [2 Samuel 11](/2_samuel/11 "2 Samuel 11 - David's Sin with Bathsheba"). In ancient Israel, suffering and illness were often directly linked to sin as a form of divine judgment or discipline, a concept prevalent throughout wisdom literature like [the Book of Job](/job/1 "The Book of Job - Suffering and Sovereignty") and the prophetic books. David's prayer reflects this understanding, acknowledging that his affliction is a direct result of his actions and God's righteous response. The cultural expectation was that God would indeed "rebuke" and "chasten" those who strayed from His covenant, but the hope was always for restoration rather than utter destruction, as seen in the broader covenant theology outlined in [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses").

* **Key Themes:** This opening verse introduces several key themes that permeate not only Psalm 38 but also much of Davidic theology and the broader biblical narrative. First, it highlights the **nature of divine discipline**, drawing a crucial distinction between God's corrective hand and His consuming wrath. David understands that God's discipline is often a necessary, loving act intended to bring about repentance and spiritual growth, a truth later articulated in [Hebrews 12:6](/hebrews/12-6 "Hebrews 12:6 - God's Loving Discipline"). Second, it underscores the theme of **humility and confession** in the face of sin. David does not deny his potential deserving of rebuke; rather, his prayer is rooted in a humble acknowledgment of his need for God's mercy, a posture essential for genuine repentance, as profoundly expressed in [Psalms 51:17](/psalms/51-17 "Psalm 51:17 - A Broken and Contrite Heart"). Finally, the verse subtly introduces the theme of **God's sovereignty over suffering**, implying that even in his deepest distress, David recognizes God's ultimate control and appeals to His character as both a righteous judge and a merciful Father.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Rebuke (Hebrew, _yâkach'_):** This term (H3198) carries the connotation of being right or correct, and reciprocally, to argue or plead. Causatively, it means to decide, justify, or convict. In this context, David's plea is that God's authoritative correction or conviction not be delivered in the full force of His wrath, implying a desire for a corrective rather than a destructive judgment.
* **Chasten (Hebrew, _yâçar'_):** The word (H3256) refers to discipline, instruction, or correction, often involving hardship, with the ultimate aim of training, teaching, or improving. It is a pedagogical term, signifying a father's discipline of a child for their good. David's plea is that this necessary "chastening" not be administered in the full, annihilating force of God's "hot displeasure."
* **Wrath (Hebrew, _qetseph'_):** This term (H7110) denotes a splinter (as chipped off), figuratively representing rage or strife. It signifies strong indignation, fury, or anger, often describing the outpouring of divine judgment, which can be severe and destructive. David's fear is of God's unmitigated, destructive wrath, rather than His corrective discipline.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"¶ A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance."**: This superscription serves as a title, identifying the author as David and indicating the psalm's purpose. "To bring to remembrance" (Hebrew: _l'hazkir_) suggests it is a prayer intended to remind God of David's desperate plight and His covenant promises, or perhaps to remind David himself (and the reader) of his sin and God's character. It sets the stage for a deeply personal and reflective prayer of urgent appeal.
* **"O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath:"**: David directly addresses Yahweh (H3068), the covenant God of Israel, with an urgent plea. He acknowledges the possibility, even likelihood, that he deserves rebuke, but he desperately asks that this rebuke not come in the full measure of God's "wrath" (H7110), implying a destructive, overwhelming anger that would consume him rather than correct him. This is a plea for mercy within justice.
* **"neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure."**: This clause parallels and intensifies the first, using synonymous terms to emphasize the same core request. "Chasten" (H3256) implies discipline and instruction, while "hot displeasure" (H2534, _chêmâh_), literally "heat" or "burning anger," signifies the most intense, consuming, and often swift form of divine anger. David's prayer is not for an exemption from discipline, which he understands to be a loving act, but for protection from the annihilating force of God's unbridled fury. He seeks a father's corrective hand, not a judge's final, damning sentence.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 38:1 employs several significant **literary devices**. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the second half of the verse ("neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure") largely reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first half ("O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath"). "Rebuke" is paralleled with "chasten," and "wrath" is paralleled with "hot displeasure," reinforcing David's desperate plea and adding emotional weight. The use of **Apostrophe** is evident as David directly addresses "O LORD," creating an intimate and immediate tone of supplication, establishing a personal relationship with God. Furthermore, there is a subtle **Metonymy** in "hot displeasure," where the physical manifestation of anger (a burning nose/face) stands for the emotion itself and its devastating effects. The entire verse functions as an **Invocation**, a direct address to God at the outset of a prayer, setting the tone of humble dependence and urgent petition for the entire psalm.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 38:1 establishes a crucial theological distinction between divine discipline and divine wrath. While both originate from God's righteous character, discipline (chastening) is a corrective, restorative act of a loving Father, intended to lead His children to repentance and growth, ultimately for their good. Wrath, on the other hand, is the just outpouring of God's holy indignation against sin, which, if unmitigated, leads to destruction and condemnation. David's prayer is a profound recognition that even when deserving of correction, one can appeal to God's mercy, trusting that His ultimate desire for His people is their restoration, not their annihilation. This plea anticipates the New Testament understanding of God's fatherly love, where discipline is a mark of sonship and a path to holiness, rather than a sign of rejection or condemnation.

* [Hebrews 12:5-11](/hebrews/12-5-11 "Hebrews 12:5-11 - The Discipline of the Lord")
* [Proverbs 3:11-12](/proverbs/3-11-12 "Proverbs 3:11-12 - Do Not Despise the Lord's Discipline")
* [Lamentations 3:32-33](/lamentations/3-32-33 "Lamentations 3:32-33 - God's Compassion Endures")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 38:1 provides a timeless model for approaching God when we are acutely aware of our sin and its painful consequences. It teaches us to embrace a posture of profound humility, acknowledging our deserving of correction, yet simultaneously to appeal to God's boundless mercy. David's prayer is not for an escape from all accountability, but for a discipline tempered by love—one that corrects and refines rather than crushes. This is a vital distinction for believers: to understand that God's discipline, though it may be painful, is always for our ultimate good and spiritual formation, leading us to repentance and a deeper walk with Him. It encourages us to trust in His character, knowing that even in His righteous anger against sin, His compassion abounds, and His desire is always for our restoration, flourishing, and conformity to His image, not our destruction.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I typically react when I sense God's correction or discipline in my life? Is it with fear, resentment, or humble submission?**
* **Can I distinguish between God's loving discipline and His consuming wrath in my own theological understanding and personal experience?**
* **What specific areas of my life might God be seeking to chasten or correct right now, and how can I respond with a heart open to His restorative work?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of "to bring to remembrance" in the superscription of Psalm 38?**

Answer: The phrase "to bring to remembrance" (Hebrew: _l'hazkir_, H2142) indicates that Psalm 38 was likely intended as a prayer or a liturgical piece designed to remind God of David's desperate situation and his need for divine intervention, or perhaps to remind David himself, and the worshipping community, of the gravity of sin and the nature of God's righteous yet merciful response. It suggests a plea for God to "remember" His covenant promises and compassion, even in the midst of David's suffering, which he attributes to his sin. This type of superscription is also found in [Psalm 70](/psalms/70 "Psalm 70 - A Prayer for Deliverance"), highlighting a shared theme of urgent appeal to God in distress and a call for divine remembrance and action.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 38:1, with its plea for merciful discipline rather than consuming wrath, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Humanity, inherently sinful and deserving of God's "hot displeasure" due to its rebellion, faces a righteous judgment that would lead to utter destruction and eternal separation. However, Christ, the perfect and sinless Lamb of God, willingly endured the full measure of God's wrath on the cross, becoming the propitiation for our sins, as articulated in [Romans 3:25](/romans/3-25 "Romans 3:25 - Christ Our Propitiation"). His atoning sacrifice means that those who believe in Him are no longer subject to God's condemning wrath, but are declared righteous and reconciled to God, as powerfully declared in [Romans 5:9](/romans/5-9 "Romans 5:9 - Delivered from Wrath Through Christ"). Instead of condemnation, believers now experience God's discipline as a loving Father, intended for their sanctification and growth in holiness, a truth beautifully expounded in [Hebrews 12:6-11](/hebrews/12-6-11 "Hebrews 12:6-11 - God's Loving Discipline"). David's desperate cry for a tempered hand foreshadows the New Covenant reality where, through Christ, God's justice is fully satisfied, and His children receive not the crushing blow of judgment, but the refining fire of His love, shaping them ever more into the glorious image of His Son, as promised in [Romans 8:29](/romans/8-29 "Romans 8:29 - Conformed to the Image of Christ").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 6:1

¶ To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Hebrews 12:5

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:11

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Isaiah 54:8

In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

Psalms 70:1

¶ To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David, to bring to remembrance. [Make haste], O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.

Jeremiah 30:11

For I [am] with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

Jeremiah 10:24

O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.