Psalms 38:9 · Bible study
Psalms 38:9 Commentary: Before God
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 38:9 shows the psalmist's trust that God fully knows his desires and groans. Discover the comfort of complete openness with God in suffering.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist declares complete trust that God knows his deepest longings and his wordless cries of pain.
- Key words: “desire” (every conscious longing), “groaning” (inarticulate sounds of anguish), “before you” (open and present to God), “not hidden” (fully perceived).
- Main debate: Whether the groaning refers to involuntary physical pain or deliberate prayer, commentators see both, united in that God receives it.
- Theological theme: Divine omniscience as grounds for comfort, not fear; God’s intimate awareness of human suffering.
- Best use: Comfort for those who feel their prayers are inadequate; teaching on honest, unfiltered prayer.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Lord, all my desire is before thee; And my groaning is not hid from thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Lord, before Thee is all my desire, And my sighing from Thee hath not been hid.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my sighing is not hid from thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Señor, delante de ti están todos mis deseos; y mi suspiro no te es oculto.
SENHOR, todo o meu sofrimento está diante de ti, e meu gemido não te é oculto.
Je suis sans force, entièrement brisé;
Herr, vor dir ist alle meine Begierde, und mein Seufzen ist dir nicht verborgen.
Ik ben verzwakt, en uitermate zeer verbrijzeld; ik brul van het geruis mijns harten.
Signore, ogni mio desiderio è nel tuo cospetto, e i miei sospiri non ti son nascosti.
Zemdlałem, i startym jest bardzo, ryczę dla trwogi serca mego.
От всех беззаконий моих избавь меня, не предавай меня на поругание безумному.
主啊，我的心願 都 在你面前；我的歎息 不 向你 隱瞞。
Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the core meaning of this verse. Barnes calls it “the expression of one who felt that his only hope was in God, and that He fully understood the case.” Gill adds that the psalmist’s desire “was before the Lord, and known unto him, before whom all things are naked and open.” The phrase “all my desire” includes every longing, for deliverance, forgiveness, and restoration. Keil and Delitzsch note that the Omniscient One is “directly cognisant of every wish that his suffering extorts from him.” The second line reinforces this: even groans too faint for speech are fully perceived by God. Matthew Henry observes that “it is a satisfaction to him that it is before the Lord.” The consensus is clear, this verse is a statement of trust in God’s complete knowledge of the sufferer’s inner life, offered as both comfort to the psalmist and a plea for divine action.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist expresses complete confidence that God knows his deepest desires and even his unarticulated groans, providing a foundation for his plea for deliverance.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the psalmist's desire | All commentators agree it includes longing for deliverance from suffering and restoration to God's favor. | Clarke emphasizes desire for God's favor itself; Gill includes specific desire for forgiveness and communion. The difference is in emphasis, not contradiction. |
| Meaning of groaning | Groaning is an audible expression of deep physical and spiritual anguish, fully known to God. | Some (Barnes) see it as the sound of sorrow itself; others (Gill) view it as a form of prayer offered to God. Both recognize God hears it as a plea. |
| Purpose of the statement | The verse primarily expresses trust in God's omniscience as a foundation for hope. | Barnes emphasizes self-comfort ('he was willing to leave the case with God'); Keil & Delitzsch stress it as a plea to 'excite God's compassion.' Both elements are present. |
| Connection to sin and penitence | The psalmist views his suffering as divine chastening for sin (Psalm 38:1-4). | Some focus on the physical consequences of sin (Calvin); others stress the need for confession (Matthew Henry). Both agree the verse is a step toward repentance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 38 carries the unique title “A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance” (shared only with Psalm 70). Calvin explains that David composed it “lest he should too soon forget the chastisement by which God had afflicted him.” Matthew Henry adds that times of sickness are times “to bring to remembrance… the sin for which God contended with us.” This memorial purpose sets the stage for verse 9.
The psalm belongs to the seven Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), used by the church for confession and healing. Historically, Galileo was required to recite them weekly as penance. In ancient Israel, illness and affliction were often seen as divine discipline, reflected in the opening verses. Groaning (Hebrew anachah) was a wordless expression of pain, sometimes used in prayer (compare Psalm 102:5). The psalmist’s declaration that his groaning “is not hidden” from God implies that God hears even prayers that never become coherent words.
Literarily, verse 9 pivots from raw description (vv1, 8) to a note of trust. The verse uses parallel structure: “all my desire is before you” matches “my groaning is not hidden from you.” The first line emphasizes active longing presented to God; the second underscores the passive reality of groaning that God fully perceives. Together they cover the full range of human response to suffering, what we want and what we cannot help expressing.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no major textual variants for this verse. The only observation comes from Adam Clarke, who reports that several of Dr. Kennicott's manuscripts read Yehovah (יהוה) instead of Adonai (אדני) in the opening address. This substitution does not alter the meaning of the verse.
Reception History
Psalm 38:9 is part of the seven Penitential Psalms, which have been used in Christian worship for confession and healing. John Calvin recounts that Galileo was required to recite these psalms weekly as penance. Matthew Henry described the psalm as a “record of the workings of David’s heart” for later remembrance. In the broader Christian tradition, this verse has comforted those who feel their prayers are too weak to articulate, echoing Paul’s teaching in Romans 8:26 that the Spirit intercedes with wordless groanings. The verse has also been frequently employed in prayers for the sick, emphasizing God’s intimate knowledge of human suffering.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The psalmist brings his desire before God. “All my desire” covers every longing: healing, forgiveness, restoration. The phrasing suggests a continuous, honest offering. Nothing is held back.
- Even his groaning is fully known. Not just articulate prayers but the sounds of pain. God sees what words cannot carry. This echoes Romans 8:26, the Spirit interprets our wordless groanings.
- Complete transparency becomes the ground of hope. Because God knows everything, the psalmist does not need to explain; he only needs to trust. Knowledge here is not cold omniscience but compassionate awareness that moves God to act.
Five-Point Outline
- Honest admissions. The psalmist does not pretend. He brings his full desire to God.
- Specific yet total. “All my desire”, not just the big requests but every small longing, every unspoken hope.
- Beyond words. “My groaning”, the inarticulate pain that no language can capture.
- Not hidden. God sees precisely what we cannot voice, even the sighs we think no one hears.
- Therefore, confidence. The verse gives courage to pray even when words fail. God receives the raw material of our hearts.
Illustration Hooks
- A child who cannot describe why she is upset but finds comfort simply being held by a parent who already knows. The psalmist is like that child before God.
- A hospital waiting room where family members say nothing but sigh and groan. Those sounds carry the whole story. God hears them as clearly as any spoken prayer.
- Writing a journal entry you never intend to show anyone, then realizing God already read it before it was written. That is the kind of knowledge the psalmist relies on.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If God already knows what I need, why should I pray?
- Does God really hear me when I am too exhausted to form words?
- What if my deepest desires are selfish, does God still allow me to bring them?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 38:9 invites us to consider the nature of prayer. The psalmist does not ask for anything in this verse; he simply states what is true: God already knows. This can change how we approach God, not with long explanations but with honest presence. In a culture that prizes eloquent prayers, this verse reminds us that groans are just as welcome.
Discussion Questions
- What does “all my desire is before you” suggest about the psalmist’s relationship with God? (Observation)
- Why do you think the psalmist specifically mentions groaning? What does that add to your understanding of his suffering? (Interpretation)
- How does the verse connect to the surrounding context of confession and physical pain? (Observation)
- In your own life, when have you been too weary to pray with words? How does this verse speak to that experience? (Application)
- If God already knows everything, what purpose does it serve to bring our desires and groans before him? (Interpretation)
- How does knowing that God hears even our wordless groans change the way you think about prayer? (Application)
- What does this verse teach us about God’s character, especially in times of suffering? (Interpretation)
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 6:6 | I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears. |
| Psalms 10:17 | Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear, |
| Psalms 102:5 | By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin. |
| Psalms 102:20 | to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are condemned to death, |
| John 1:48 | Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” |
| Romans 8:22 | For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. |
| Romans 8:23 | Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. |
| Romans 8:26 | In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Lord, all my desire is before thee - I long for nothing so much as thy favor; and for this my heart is continually going out after thee. Instead of אדני Adonai, Lord, several of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. have יהוה Yehovah.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that David's confidence comes from knowing God already sees every need and hears every sigh. David does not repeat his requests but simply lays the whole matter before God, trusting that full understanding will move God to merciful action.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that David wrote this psalm as a personal and public memorial, intended to prevent himself and others from quickly forgetting the chastening hand of God. The title "to bring to remembrance" signals this deliberate purpose, not a musical cue. Human nature easily lets divine discipline slip from memory, so David fixed it in song.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that God already knows what the sufferer truly needs, yet the pain is deepened by two human responses: friends who neglect him and enemies who mock him. These external rejections intensify an already heavy trial.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The commentator notes the complete openness of the psalmist's prayer: every desire is poured out, nothing held back. Even wordless sighs are fully visible to God, not hidden from His awareness.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the psalmist’s deepest longings—for deliverance, pardon, and communion with God—are fully exposed before the Lord. Even the groans too deep for words are known and understood by God, not hidden from Him.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that the psalmist does not speak to inform God of his suffering, since God already knows it perfectly. Instead he speaks to stir God's compassion, then falls silent in conscious guilt, abandoning all self-defense and leaving his cause entirely to God.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists that this psalm records a real individual suffering from an actual, severe illness, not a personified figure or national allegory. The bodily pains are genuine divine punishment for sin, and the enemies who exploit his misery are secondary to his central task: confessing guilt and trusting God alone for help.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that this psalm is titled to bring things to remembrance, specifically our sins when God is afflicting us. Times of sickness are opportunities to remember why God is contending with us, humbling ourselves by setting our sins in order before Him. The psalm can also preserve those convictions after recovery for fresh reflection.