Psalms 38:3There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. David's illness has progressed - his skin shows visible signs of disease, possibly psoriasis or another condition that ancient people saw as divine punishment for hidden sin.
The emotion here: nauseated by his own moral failure, feeling his soul-sickness in his physical body
The original word
shālôm (שָׁלוֹם) — wholeness, completeness, peace - here used negatively as 'no wholeness'
Why it matters
Ancient Near Eastern cultures believed physical illness was always connected to spiritual condition
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 38:3
David distinguishes between God's anger (indignation) and his own sin as separate but related causes
Common misconceptionModern readers avoid this verse because we don't like connecting sin to sickness, but David is describing a real psychosomatic experience - guilt making him physically ill.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 38:3
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 38:3 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 38:3 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sin consequences, divine discipline, confession. Notable phrases: no soundness in my flesh; because of your indignation; because of my sin. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Psalms 38:3 mean to you, today?
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