Single lesson
Psalm 38: Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
Psalms 38:1–22
Psalm 38 is a prayer in which the speaker tells God about pain, sin, loneliness and danger. Children can learn how the psalm moves from deep trouble to a direct cry for God’s help.
Before you teach
This psalm speaks to Yahweh from beginning to end. The speaker asks not to be rebuked in wrath, describes heavy suffering and sin, says friends stand far away and enemies are active, then ends by hoping in God and asking for quick help.
Students will identify the speaker, three main images in the psalm, and how the prayer moves from pain and confession to hope and a plea for help.
Welcome: What kind of prayer is this?
4 minIntroduce Psalm 38 as a prayer spoken to Yahweh. Tell students they will listen for who is speaking, what pictures the speaker uses, and how the prayer changes by the end. Explain that this is a sad prayer, yet it still speaks directly to God and asks for help.
Psalms 38:1, Psalms 38:9, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 38:22
Read and explain: Heavy words and strong pictures
8 minRead verses 1-8 slowly. Point out the images: arrows piercing, a hand pressing hard, sins like a burden over the head, and mourning all day. Explain that these pictures show how crushed the speaker feels. In this opening part, the speaker links this suffering with sin and foolishness.
Psalms 38:2, Psalms 38:3, Psalms 38:4, Psalms 38:5, Psalms 38:6
Discuss: Alone before God
6 minRead verses 9-14 and 19-20. Ask students what other troubles the speaker has besides bodily pain. Help them notice that God sees every groan, while friends stand far away and enemies speak deceit. The speaker becomes silent like a deaf or mute person, unable to answer others.
Psalms 38:9, Psalms 38:11, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 38:13, Psalms 38:14, Psalms 38:19, Psalms 38:20
Make and respond: Prayer image card
8 minStudents create a simple card with two sides. On one side, draw or write one named image from the psalm such as arrows, a heavy burden, someone bowed down, strength failing, friends standing far away, silence, or a slipping foot. On the other side, write one short prayer line from the psalm such as “I hope in you” or “Hurry to help me”. Share how the chosen line fits the chosen image.
Psalms 38:2, Psalms 38:4, Psalms 38:6, Psalms 38:10, Psalms 38:11, Psalms 38:13, Psalms 38:15, Psalms 38:16, Psalms 38:22
Closing: Where the prayer finishes
4 minRead verses 15-22 together. Emphasise that the ending does not pretend everything is fixed. The speaker still has pain and admits sin, yet hopes in Yahweh, asks God not to be far away, and calls the Lord his salvation. Finish by reviewing the movement of the psalm from trouble to trust-filled asking.
Psalms 38:15, Psalms 38:17, Psalms 38:18, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 38:22
Questions to explore
Who is the speaker talking to all through this psalm?
Look for the names used in the opening, middle and ending to see that the whole poem is spoken to Yahweh as prayer.
Psalms 38:1, Psalms 38:9, Psalms 38:15, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 38:22
Which images best show how heavy the speaker’s trouble feels?
Listen for picture words about arrows, a burden, mourning, failing strength and a slipping foot, then explain what each image communicates.
Psalms 38:2, Psalms 38:4, Psalms 38:6, Psalms 38:10, Psalms 38:16
How does the prayer change near the end?
Compare the early cries of pain with the later words of hope, confession and urgent asking for help.
Psalms 38:1, Psalms 38:15, Psalms 38:18, Psalms 38:21, Psalms 38:22
Make, think or respond
Psalm 38 Image and Prayer Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils or crayons
- markers
Try it together
- Fold a sheet of paper in half to make a simple card.
- Choose one image named in Psalm 38, such as arrows, a heavy burden, someone bowed down, failing strength, silence, or a slipping foot, and draw it on the front.
- Inside, copy one short prayer line from the psalm, such as “I hope in you”, “Don’t be far from me”, or “Hurry to help me”.
- Tell a partner how your picture and your chosen line belong together in the psalm.
This activity helps students match the psalm’s own images with its own prayer lines, noticing both the suffering and the hope in Psalm 38.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three image choices from the psalm and let them dictate their prayer line for an adult to write.
- For older or stronger readers, ask them to sort verses into three groups: pain, enemies, and hope, before making the card.
An optional closing prayer
“Lord God, when people feel pain, sadness or trouble, help us speak honestly to you. Teach us to hope in you and ask for your help. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 38
1 Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your wrath, neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.
2 For your arrows have pierced me, your hand presses hard on me.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness.
6 I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
7 For my waist is filled with burning. There is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. My kinsmen stand far away.
12 They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.
13 But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.
14 Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For I hope in you, Yahweh. You will answer, Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”
17 For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me.
18 For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20 They who give evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
21 Don’t forsake me, Yahweh. My God, don’t be far from me.
22 Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.