Psalms 38:4

For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

For mine iniquities {H5771} are gone over {H5674} mine head {H7218}: as an heavy {H3515} burden {H4853} they are too heavy {H3513}{H8799)} for me.

for my iniquities loom high over my head as a heavy burden, too heavy for me.

For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.

For mine iniquities are gone over my head: As a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Psalm 38:4 KJV offers a profound and visceral expression of the psalmist's deep distress over his sins, portraying them as an overwhelming and unbearable weight. This verse is part of a penitential psalm, where King David pours out his heart in confession and plea for God's mercy amidst severe suffering, which he attributes to his iniquities.

Context

Psalm 38 is a lament of David, often categorized as one of the seven penitential psalms. In this psalm, David describes not only physical affliction but also the profound spiritual and emotional torment caused by his sin. He feels God's displeasure and the abandonment of friends, portraying a comprehensive state of distress. Verse 4 specifically delves into the internal experience of guilt and the crushing realization of his wrongdoing, setting the stage for his desperate cry for divine intervention and forgiveness found in other penitential psalms.

Key Themes

  • The Overwhelming Nature of Sin: The imagery of sins going "over mine head" vividly conveys a sense of being submerged, drowned, or completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of wrongdoing. It suggests an inescapable flood that consumes the individual.
  • Sin as an Intolerable Burden: Describing iniquities as a "heavy burden" that is "too heavy for me" emphasizes the crushing weight and oppressive nature of guilt and its consequences. This burden is not merely difficult but utterly impossible for the psalmist to bear on his own strength.
  • Human Inability and Dependence: This verse highlights humanity's inherent weakness in the face of sin. It's a confession that one cannot overcome or escape the consequences of sin by personal effort or strength, underscoring the vital need for divine intervention and mercy.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "iniquities" (עֲוֹנוֹתַי, 'avonotay) often implies not just a transgression but also the crookedness or perversity of one's actions, and the guilt associated with it. The phrase "gone over mine head" (עָבְרוּ רֹאשִׁי, 'avru ro'shi) paints a picture of being submerged or inundated, much like a flood. The term "heavy burden" (מַשָּׂא כָבֵד, massa kaved) reinforces the idea of a crushing, unbearable weight, aligning with common ancient Near Eastern metaphors for distress and responsibility.

Practical Application

Psalm 38:4 resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced the profound weight of guilt or the overwhelming consequences of their own wrongdoing. It teaches us several vital truths:

  • Acknowledge the Weight of Sin: The verse encourages an honest assessment of sin's true impact. It's not a light matter but can indeed feel like an unbearable burden.
  • Recognize Human Limitations: We cannot save ourselves or bear the full weight of our iniquities. This realization is is crucial for turning to the one who can provide relief.
  • Seek Divine Relief: Just as the psalmist eventually cries out to God, this verse implicitly points to the necessity of bringing our burdens to the Lord. The New Testament offers the ultimate solution to this problem, inviting all who labor and are heavy laden to find rest in Christ. This recognition of an unbearable burden often precedes genuine confession and the experience of God's forgiveness, which alone can lift the crushing weight of sin.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 40:12

    For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

  • Ezra 9:6

    And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

  • Matthew 11:28

    Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

  • Lamentations 1:14

    The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, [and] come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into [their] hands, [from whom] I am not able to rise up.

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • Leviticus 7:18

    And if [any] of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.

  • Isaiah 53:11

    He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

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