My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What stands out here is that the psalmist isn't just describing physical sickness, but a deep, offensive decay – one that he directly links to his "foolishness." This isn't just about making a mistake; it's about a fundamental lack of wisdom that leads to a state so loathsome it festers, mirroring the ugliness of sin's consequences.
My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is lamenting a terrible affliction, likely a severe illness that has left his body covered in festering wounds. He sees this physical suffering as a direct consequence of his own foolish sinfulness, which has deeply wounded him and made him loathsome, not just to himself but potentially to others as well. He’s grappling with the devastating results of his actions and the profound spiritual and physical pain they’ve caused.
What if the deepest pain isn't just physical, but a spiritual sickness that stinks?
The psalmist is brutally honest here. His "wounds" aren't just external sores; they represent the deep corruption and pain that sin brings into his life.
The Stench of Sin
Foolishness Defined
Can our physical pain be a reflection of something deeper going on within?
While the psalmist's "wounds" might have had a physical component, the intense language suggests they are also a profound metaphor for his inner turmoil.
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Physical Manifestation of Spiritual Distress
Beyond Literal Interpretation
Understand the original words
ivveleth · Hebrew Noun
A term signifying moral stupidity or a lack of spiritual perception; it is not merely a lack of intelligence but a willful turning away from the wisdom and fear of God.
avah · Hebrew Verb
A physical posture of being bent over or collapsed, often used metaphorically in Scripture to describe a state of deep humiliation, affliction, or heavy sorrow before God or enemies.
shachach · Hebrew Adjective/Participle
To be cast down or brought to a state of utter helplessness, often representing a position of total surrender or extreme physical and emotional exhaustion.
qadar · Hebrew Verb/Participle
A state of intense grief or sorrow, often expressed through visible acts of lamentation such as wearing sackcloth, weeping, or walking with a heavy heart.
metom · Hebrew Noun
The condition of being whole, healthy, or complete; biblically, it refers to both physical health and spiritual wholeness or integrity.
basar · Hebrew Noun
The physical body of a human being; in Scripture, it often represents the human condition in its fragility, mortality, or tendency toward corruption.
Psalm 38 vividly portrays the physical and emotional agony that can stem from deep sin and repentance. The 'wounds' are understood not just as literal sickness, but as the festering consequences of David's 'foolishness'—his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent cover-up, which brought immense suffering and alienation.
c. 1000 BC
David's Reign as King
David is king of Israel, a period marked by both great triumphs and significant personal struggles.
c. 1000 BC
David's Sin with Bathsheba
David commits adultery with Bathsheba and arranges for her husband Uriah's death, a profound moral failure.
c. 999 BC— this verse
Nathan Confronts David
The prophet Nathan confronts David with his sin, leading David to deep repentance.
c. 999 BC
Consequences of David's Sin
David faces severe consequences, including the death of his child and internal family strife, as prophesied by Nathan.
This passage describes wounds that stink and fester, mirroring the physical and spiritual decay the psalmist is experiencing due to his sin.
Proverbs 12:1This verse directly connects hating correction with foolishness and acting like a brute, highlighting the 'foolishness' the psalmist admits is the root of his suffering.
Luke 15:17The prodigal son's realization of his 'foolishness' mirrors the psalmist's acknowledgment that his actions have led to a rotten, desperate state.
Psalm 107:17This verse speaks of fools suffering because of their rebellious ways, directly linking foolishness to afflictions that bring them to the brink of death, much like the psalmist describes.
pulpitPsalms 38:5: "My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness."
Verse 5. - My wounds stink and are corrupt. The writer reverts to his bodily pains. He has "wounds," which "stink" and "are corrupt;" or "fester and become noisome," which may be boils, or bed-sores, and which make him a loathsome object to others (comp. Job 9:19; Job 30:18). Because of my foolishness. Because I was so foolish as to forsake the way of righteousness, and allow sin to get the dominion over me.
jfbPsalms 38:5: "My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness."
5-8. The loathsomeness, corruption, and wasting torture of severe physical disease set forth his mental anguish [Ps 38:6]. It is possible some bodily disease was connected. Theloins are the seat of strength. His exhaustion left him only the power to groan [Ps 38:9].
What stands out here is that the psalmist isn't just describing physical sickness, but a deep, offensive decay – one that he directly links to his "foolishness." This isn't just about making a mistake; it's about a fundamental lack of wisdom that leads to a state so loathsome it festers, mirroring the ugliness of sin's consequences.
The psalmist is lamenting a terrible affliction, likely a severe illness that has left his body covered in festering wounds. He sees this physical suffering as a direct consequence of his own foolish sinfulness, which has deeply wounded him and made him loathsome, not just to himself but potentially to others as well. He’s grappling with the devastating results of his actions and the profound spiritual and physical pain they’ve caused.
The psalmist is lamenting a terrible affliction, likely a severe illness that has left his body covered in festering wounds. He sees this physical suffering as a direct consequence of his own foolish sinfulness, which has deeply wounded him and made him loathsome, not just to himself but potentially to others as well. He’s grappling with the devastating results of his actions and the profound spiritual and physical pain they’ve caused.
"My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh." — What stands out here is that the psalmist isn't just describing physical sickness, but a deep, offensive decay – one that he directly links to his "foolishness." This isn't just about making a mistak…
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Last reviewed October 2026