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We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below. Read Psalm 38  Listen to Psalm 38 This Psalm of David is entitled ‘A Petition’ like Psalm 70 and is amongst those known as the penitential Psalms along with numbers 6, 32, 51, 102, 130 and 143. It comes out of David’s anguish over his sin and is an appeal for relief from severe painful suffering. His shame and guilt were really getting him down and it seems that it had caused not only psychological problems but physical ones too. This can happen to us today. If our mental and emotional health is not good, it can lead to physical ailments. Proverbs 17:22 says ‘a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.’ David was not hiding his sin from God though, like Adam and Eve or we might. He cries out to God – a wise thing to do, even though he senses God’s wrath and displeasure. (Verse 1) He feels overwhelmed by his iniquity and is physically and mentally spent (verses 2-10) at the end of his tether. Even his friends abandon him (verse 11) and his enemies plot against him (verse 12), but he does not fault God at all. Some of us may feel abandoned at the present time and it is difficult when we cannot have friends round to help counsel and cheer us when we are feeling down. From time to time we need face to face contact and hug from someone, but we can take our cares to God who always listens. I hope there are people you can at least talk to on the phone if you are struggling. David confesses and is troubled by his sin. In other psalms he declares his innocence, but not this one, as he knows he has done wrong. David knows where his help will come from (verse 15) and is prepared to hope for God’s help. By the end of the psalm he makes an urgent appeal for God’s presence and help (verses 21, 22) being sure that only God can save him from his desperate condition. We have more revelation now and have the knowledge that Jesus has made the perfect sacrifice for our sins so that if we confess our sins and are sorry for the wrong we do, we will be forgiven and can be free of guilt and shame. Thank you Jesus, that you died on the cross for all our sins and when we are sorry, your forgiveness is complete. Help us to be honest and open with you.