Psalms 38:13
in Psalms 38But like a deaf man, I do not hear; and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
KJV
But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 38
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThe just person will want to conform his life to the image and likeness of Jesus, and though accused, he will be silent; if he is hurt, he will forgive. Wrongs done to him he will cover up, not opening his mouth. In this way he will be imitating him who like a lamb was led to the slaughter, never opening his mouth.
This site's exposition
seek my life lay snares
on Psalms 38:12-14
Snares are laid, and destruction and deceit run all day long. He answers like a deaf man and a mute man, with no reply in his mouth. Henry reads the silence as a man keeping close to God by prayer and silencing his own resentment.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He says then, "But I as a deaf man heard not" [Psalm 38:13]. He who replied not to what He heard, did, as it were, not hear them. "But I as a deaf man heard not. And I was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth." And he repeats the same things again.
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanCommentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms · Written before 397.
proposed
My friends and neighbors have approached me and stood against me. And my neighbors stood from afar. And those who sought my soul were causing violence. And those who intended harm to me spoke emptiness and deceit all day long. But I, like a deaf man, did not hear, and like a mute man who does not open his mouth. And I became like a man who does not hear and who does not have reproaches in his mouth. I see those who cleverly argue these things.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"But I, as one deaf." Here he shows the patience he exhibited. And first he sets forth the patience; second, the effect of patience, at "And I became like a man." When men are afflicted, unless they bear it patiently, they are first disturbed in …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But I, as a deaf man, heard not,.... He acted the part of a deaf man, and made as if he did not hear the mischievous things his enemies spoke; as Saul, when the sons of Belial spoke against him and despised him, 1Sa 10:27; and as our Lord when his enemies accused him, Mat 27:12; and I was as a dumb man, that openeth not his mouth; made no reply to what they said, and did not render railing for railing; in which Christ was the antitype of him, Isa 53:7.
Herein David was a type of Christ, who was as a sheep dumb before the shearer, and, when he was reviled, reviled not again; and both are examples to us not to render railing for railing. He kept close to his God by faith and prayer, and so both supported himself under these injuries and silenced his own resentments of them.
5 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
But I, as a deaf man, heard not. Well and bravely was this done. A sacred indifference to the slanders of malevolence is true courage and wise policy. It is well to be as if we could not hear or see. Perhaps the psalmist means that this deafness on his part was unavoidable because he had no power to answer the taunts of the cruel, but felt much of the truth of their ungenerous accusations. And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
But I, as a deaf man, heard not. Well and bravely was this done. A sacred indifference to the slanders of malevolence is true courage and wise policy. It is well to be as if we could not hear or see. Perhaps the psalmist means that this deafness on his part was unavoidable because he had no power to answer the taunts of the cruel, but felt much of the truth of their ungenerous accusations. And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. David was bravely silent, and herein was eminently typical of our Lord Jesus, whose marvellous silence before Pilate was far more eloquent than words. To abstain from self defence is often most difficult, and frequently most wise.
But I, as a deaf man, heard not. Well and bravely was this done. A sacred indifference to the slanders of malevolence is true courage and wise policy. It is well to be as if we could not hear or see. Perhaps the psalmist means that this deafness on his part was unavoidable because he had no power to answer the taunts of the cruel, but felt much of the truth of their ungenerous accusations. And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
But I, as a deaf man - I was conscious of my guilt, I could not vindicate myself; and I was obliged in silence to bear their insults.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But I, as a deaf man, heard not - I was as if I had been deaf, and did not hear them or know what they were about. I took no notice of what they did anymore than if I had not heard them. That is, he did not reply to them; he did not become angry; he was as calm and patient as if they had said nothing. And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth - As if I were a man that could not speak. I was perfectly silent under all this persecution. Compare 2Sa 16:10. How eminently true was this of the Saviour! Isa 53:7; 1Pe 2:23; Mat 26:63; Mat 27:12, Mat 27:14.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And those who seek my life lay traps They seek traps for me.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
stand aloof from my affliction Those who appear to me as lovers in time of their pleasure, and when they see that the affliction comes upon me, they do not stand up for me in the time of my strait, but stand aloof and do not aid me.
But I am as a deaf person Israel hears their reproach from the nations but does not respond. Why? Because I hoped for You, O Lord, that You would redeem me and save me from them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנִ֣י | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ | khecheresh | [am] like a deaf [person] | H2795 → | |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֶשְׁמָ֑ע | ʾeshma' | I hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם | ukheilem | and like a dumb [person] | H483 → | |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | [who] not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִפְתַּח־ | yiftach- | he opens | H6605 → | 144 times |
| פִּֽיו׃ | piv | mouth his | H6310 → | 498 times |
וַאֲנִ֣יand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ[am] like a deaf [person]
khechereshH2795 →
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אֶשְׁמָ֑עI hear
ʾeshma'H8085 →1159 times
וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗םand like a dumb [person]
ukheilemH483 →
לֹ֣א[who] not
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִפְתַּח־he opens
yiftach-H6605 →144 times
פִּֽיו׃mouth his
pivH6310 →498 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:23When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
it leads to
- Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 4:19
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
- Hebrews 12:3
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- Isaiah 53:7
Through
Isaiah 53:7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not…
it leads to
- Matthew 27:12–14
And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 8:32–33
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
- Matthew 26:63
But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
- 1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
- Mark 14:61
But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
- Matthew 27:12–14
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 38; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.