## Rashi on Psalms Chapter 38

###### Rashi on Psalms 38:1:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:1:1)

**מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד לְהַזְכִּיר.** לְאוֹמְרוֹ בִּשְׁעַת צָרָה, לְהַזְכִּיר צָרָתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּכְנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמָרוֹ:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**A song of David, to make remembrance** To recite it in time of distress, to make remembrance of the distress of Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, and he recited it as relating to all Israel.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:3:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:3:1)

**נָחֲתוּ.** נִזְרְקוּ. לְשׁוֹן נַחַת נוֹפֵל בִּנְטִיַּת קֶשֶׁת, וּלְפִי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי דְּרִיכַת הַקֶּשֶׁת נִזְרָקִים הַחִצִּים, כְּתִיב **נָחֲתוּ בִי**, וְכֵן (שמות טו:ט) ״אָרִיק חַרְבִּי״, הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב אָרִיק תַּעְרִי, אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁמּוֹצִיאִין חֶרֶב מִתַּעְרָהּ הַתַּעַר רֵיק מִמֶּנָּה, לְכָךְ תּוֹלֶה הָרֵיקוּת בַּחֶרֶב, וְכֵן (תהלים יח:לה) ״וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה״. וְאֵין הַנּוּ״ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּבָה, שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה שֹׁרֶשׁ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר נִנְחֲתוּ בִי, אֲבָל נוּ״ן שֶׁל נָחֲתוּ וְכֵן שֶׁל וַתִּנְחַת אֵינָהּ שֹׁרֶשׁ וְנוֹפֶלֶת לִפְרָקִים כְּמוֹ וְנוּ״ן שֶׁל נָגַף, נָשַׁךְ, נָדַר, נָקַם, כְּשֶׁמִּתְפַּעֵל יֹאמַר נִגַּף נִשַּׁךְ נִדַּר נִקַּם כְּמוֹ נִנְגַף נִנְשַׁךְ נִנְדַר נִנְקַם שֶׁהַדָּגֵשׁ בָּא בַתֵּבָה בִּמְקוֹם נוּ״ן, וְכֵן (ויקרא כו:לו) ״עָלֶה נִדָּף״, (איכה ג:מט) ״עֵינִי נִגְּרָה״, כְּמוֹ נִנְדַּף נִנְגְּרָה, כֵּן יֹאמַר נָחֲתוּ כְּמוֹ נִנְחֲתוּ, וְכֵן (תהלים יח:לה) ״וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה״ כְּמוֹ וְנִנְחֲתָה, שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַחֵי״ת לְהִתְנַהֵג כְּמִנְהַג דַּגְשׁוּת בְּרֹב מְקוֹמוֹת, כְּגוֹן (מלכים א יג:יח) ״כִּחֵשׁ לוֹ״, וּמִמִּשְׁקַל דָּגוּשׁ כְּמוֹ דִּבֵּר מִגִּזְרַת וַיְדַבֵּר, כָּךְ כִּחֵשׁ מִגִּזְרַת (בראשית יח:טו) ״וַתְּכַחֵשׁ שָׂרָה״, וְלֹא יֹאמַר כֵּחַשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מִן הַמְבָרֵךְ בֵּרַךְ וְלֹא יֹאמַר בִּרֵךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר דִּבֵּר, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דַּגְשׁוּת נִכָּר בְּרֵי״שׁ, אֲבָל בְּחֵי״ת נִכָּר דַּגְשׁוּת, וְכֵן (דברים לב:ה) ״שִׁחֵת,״ כְּמוֹ כִּפֵּר דִּבֵּר. אַף כָּאן יֹאמַר נָחֲתוּ כְּמוֹ נִגְּשׁוּ נִתְּנוּ מִגְּזַר נָחַת נָתַן נָגַשׁ, וְהַנּוּ״ן יְסוֹד נוֹפֵל לִכָּנֵס דָּגֵשׁ בִּמְקוֹמָהּ כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפַּעֵל, וְכֵן (שמואל א ב:ד) ״קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים״ מִגִּזְרַת נָחַת וְחָתַת, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מִן נָסַב סָבַב, מִן נָשַׁם שָׁמַם, (ויקרא כו:לב) ״וְנָשַׁמּוּ דַרְכֵיכֶם״, (שם) ״וְשָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיהָ״, וְכֵן בָּלַל נָבַל (בראשית יא:ט) ״כִּי שָׁם בָּלַל ה׳״, (בראשית יא:ז) ״וְנָבְלָה שָׁם שְׂפָתָם״, כֵּן יֹאמַר נָחַת וְחָתַת בִּלְשׁוֹן פָּעַל:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**have been shot** Heb. נחתו, have been cast. The expression of נחת applies to the bending of a bow, and since the arrows are shot by bending the bow, he wrote נחתו בי [literally] “were bent in me.” Similarly, (in Exod. 15:9): “I will unsheath my sword (אריק חרבי),” [lit. I emptied my sword.] The Torah should have written: אריק תערי, I will empty my sheath, but because when they draw the sword from its sheath, the sheath is emptied of it, he therefore relates the emptying to the sword. Similarly, (above 18:35): “a copper bow was bent (ונחתה).” The “nun” is not a radical, because, if it were a radical, it would have to be ננחתו, but the “nun” of נחתו, and so ותנחת, is not a radical but is sometimes dropped, like the “nun” of נגף, to smite; נשך, to bite; נדר, to vow; נקם, to avenge. And when it is passive we say: נִגַּף, smitten; נִשַׁךְ, bitten; נִדַּר, vowed; נִקַּם, avenged, like נִנְקַם, נִנְדַּר, נִנְשַׁךְ, נִנְגַּף. The “dagesh” in the word replaces the “nun.” Similarly (in Lev. 26:36), a rattling (נִדַף) leaf,” (in Lam. 3:49), “My eyes stream (נִגְרָה),” like נִנְגְּרָה. So does he say נִחֲתוּ like נִנְחֲתוּ, and so (above 18:35): “and a copper bow was bent (וְנִּחֲתָה),” like וְנִנְחֲתָה. It was customary for the “cheth” to be treated like the letters that do accept a “dagesh” in most places, e.g. (in I Kings 13:18): “He lied (כִּחֶשׁ) to him,” in the form that is punctuated by a “dagesh,” [i.e., the pi’el conjugation,] like דִבֶּר spoke, from the same conjugation as וַיְדַבֶּר, כִּחֶשׁ from the same conjugation as (Gen. 18: 15): “And Sarah lied (וַתְּכַחֵשׁ),” and we do not say כֵּחַשׁ as we say from הַמְבָרֵךְ, בֵּרַךְ and we do not say בִּרֵךְ as we say דִּבֵּר, because the power of the “dagesh”; is not recognizable in the “resh,” but in the “cheth” the power of the “dagesh” is recognizable, and so (in Deut. 32:5): “Have they injured (שִׁחֵת) Him?” like כִּפֵר, atoned, דִּבֵּר, spoke. Here, too, he says, נִחֲתוּ like נִגְּשׁוּ they approached, נִתְּנוּ, they were given, from the roots נחת, נגש, נתן, the “nun” being a defective radical, replaced by a “dagesh” in the passive voice. So is (I Sam. 2: 4): “The bows of the mighty are broken (חתים),” from the root נחת and חתת as you say from נסב, סבב, from נשם, שמם ; (Lev. 26:22), “and your ways shall become desolate (וְנָשַׁמוּ),” (ibid. verse 32), “shall wonder (וְשָׁמְמוּ) over it.” Similarly, בָּלַל, נָבֹל, (Gen. 11:9) “for there the Lord confused בָּלַל” (ibid. verse 7) “and let us confuse (וְנָבְלָה) their language there.” So does he say נחת and חתת in the active voice.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:3:2
[Rashi on Psalms 38:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:3:2)

**וַתִּנְחַת עָלַי יָדֶךָ.** פֵּירוּשׁ לְחִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ בִי, וְכֵן פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: מַה דֶּרֶךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לִירוֹת הַחִצִּים? יָד שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא נִחֲתָה בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְהַפִּיל עָלַי חִצִּים. **וַתִּנְחַת** לְשׁוֹן וַתֵּרֵד, וּבָזֶה הַנּוּ״ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּיבָה. וְכֵן ״וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה״ (לעיל יח:לה), אֵין הַנּוּ״ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּיבָה (ס״א אינו):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and Your hand has come down upon me** This is the explanation of “Your arrows have been shot into me.” And this is its interpretation: What bent the bow to shoot the arrows? Your hand has come down upon the bow to shoot arrows at me. ותנחת is an expression of ותרד, it came down, and in this the “nun” is a radical. Similarly (18:35), “and a copper bow was broken (ונחתה),” in which the “nun” is not a radical.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:4:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:4:1)

**מְתֹם.** תְּמִימוּת, אינטרי״ן בְּלַעַ״ז:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**soundness** Perfection, anterin in Old French, wholeness.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:5:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:5:1)

**יִכְבְּדוּ.** כְּבֵדִים:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**are too heavy** Heb. יכבדו, are heavy.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:7:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:7:1)

**נַעֲוֵיתִי.** לְשׁוֹן אֲחָזַתּוֹ עֲוִית (חולין ס:), אֵישְׁטוֹרְדִישׁוֹ״ן בְּלַעַ״ז:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**I am...stunned** Heb. נעויתי an expression of (Chullin 60b): “Convulsions (עוית) seize him.” Etourdissant in French, stunning.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:8:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:8:1)

**כְּסָלַי מָלְאוּ נִקְלֶה.** בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי אֲנִי קַל בְּעֵינֵי עַצְמִי:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**For my loins are full of self-effacement** In my thoughts, I am insignificant in my own eyes.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:9:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:9:1)

**נְפוּגוֹתִי.** נֶחֱלַפְתִּי, לְשׁוֹן ״וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ״ (בראשית מה:כו), ״מֵאֵין הֲפֻגוֹת״ (איכה ג:מט):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**I passed out** Heb. נפוגתי, I passed out, an expression of (Gen. 45:26), “and his heart fainted (ויפג) .” (Lam. 3:49), “without respite (הפגת).”


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:10:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:10:1)

**כָּל תַּאֲוָתִי.** אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ צְרָכַי:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**all my desire** You know my needs.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:11:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:11:1)

**סְחַרְחַר.** מֻקָּף יָגוֹן, וְזֶהוּ מִתֵּיבוֹת הַכְּפוּלוֹת, כְּמוֹ ״יְרַקְרַק אֲדַמְדַּם״ (ויקרא יג:מט), סְגַלְגַּל (נדרים סו:), ״חֳמַרְמְרוּ״ (איכה א:כ):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**engulfed** Heb. סחרחר, surrounded by grief. This is one of the double words, like (Lev. 13: 49), “dark green (ירקרק), dark red (אדמדם),” (Ned. 66b) “round (סגלגל)” (Lam. 1:20), “my spirits are troubled (חמר מרו).”


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:12:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:12:1)

**מִנֶּגֶד נִגְעִי יַעֲמֹדוּ.** אוֹתָם נִרְאִין לִי כְּאוֹהֲבִים בִּשְׁעַת הֲנָאָתָן, וּכְשֶׁרוֹאִין שֶׁהַנֶּגַע בָּא עָלַי אֵין עוֹמְדִין לִי בִּשְׁעַת דָּחְקִי, אֶלָּא **מִנֶּגְדִּי יַעֲמֹדוּ** וְאֵינָם עוֹזְרִים לִי:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**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.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:12:2
[Rashi on Psalms 38:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:12:2)

**וּקְרוֹבַי.** שֶׁמַּרְאִים לִי עַצְמָם קְרוֹבִים:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and those close to me** who showed themselves to be close to me.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:13:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:13:1)

**וַיְנַקְשׁוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי.** מוֹקְשִׁים לִי:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**And those who seek my life lay traps** They seek traps for me.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:13:2
[Rashi on Psalms 38:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:13:2)

**יֶהְגּוּ.** יַחְשְׁבוּ:


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:14:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:14:1)

**וַאֲנִי כְחֵרֵשׁ.** יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹמְעִים חֶרְפָּתָם מִן הַמְּחָרְפִים, וְאֵינָם מְשִׁיבִים. וְלָמָּה? כִּי לְךָ הוֹחַלְתִּי, שֶׁתִּגְאָלֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי מֵהֶם (שבת פח:):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**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.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:17:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:17:1)

**כִּי אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן יִשְׂמְחוּ לִי.** לְכָךְ אָנוּ שׁוֹתְקִים, כִּי אוֹמְרִים אָנוּ בְּלִבֵּנוּ: אִם נְשִׁיבֵם עַזּוּת, שֶׁמָּא יִרְאוּ בְּמַפַּלְתֵּנוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ לָנוּ בְּמוֹט רַגְלֵינוּ, וְיַגְדִּילוּ עָלֵינוּ לוֹמַר: הֲלֹא הֱיִיתֶם מִתְפָּאֲרִים בִּתְשׁוּעַתְכֶם?

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**For I said, “Lest they rejoice over me”** For this reason we remain silent, because we say to ourselves, “If we answer them brazenly, they may witness our downfall and rejoice over us when our feet falter, and they will magnify themselves over us saying, ‘Weren’t you boasting of your salvation?’”


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:18:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:18:1)

**כִּי אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן.** לְכָךְ אָנוּ דּוֹאֲגִים פֶּן יִשְׂמְחוּ לָנוּ, לְפִי שֶׁמְּלֻמָּדִים אָנוּ בְּמַכּוֹת וּמוּכָנִים וּמְזֻמָּנִים לְשֶׁבֶר תָּמִיד:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**For I am ready for disaster** For this reason, we are concerned lest they rejoice over us, because we are accustomed to blows and are always ready and prepared for disaster.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:18:2
[Rashi on Psalms 38:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:18:2)

**וּמַכְאוֹבִי נֶגְדִּי.** מְזֻמָּן הוּא לָבֹא עָלַי תָּמִיד:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and my pain is always before me** It is always prepared to come before me.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:19:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:19:1)

**כִּי עֲוֺנִי אַגִּיד.** לִבִּי מַגִּיד לִי אֶת עֲוֺנִי, וּלְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי דּוֹאֵג וְיָרֵא מֵחַטָּאתִי, שֶׁלֹּא יִגְרֹם לִי צֶלַע וּמַכְאוֹב:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**For I relate my iniquity** My heart tells me my iniquity. Therefore, I worry, and fear my sin, lest it cause me disaster and pain.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:20:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:20:1)

**חַיִּים עָצְמוּ.** מַעֲצִימִים חַיִּים בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְטוֹבָה:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**are in the vigor of life** They are in the vigor of life with tranquility and goodness.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:20:2
[Rashi on Psalms 38:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:20:2)

**וְרַבּוּ.** וְהִגְדִּילוּ שׂוֹנְאַי עַל דִּבְרֵי שָׁקֶר:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**have become great** And those who hate me because of false words have become exalted.


###### Rashi on Psalms 38:21:1
[Rashi on Psalms 38:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/38:21:1)

**תַּחַת רָדְפִי טוֹב.** בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ דְּבֵקִים בַּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבְמִצְווֹתָיו:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**for my pursuit of goodness** Because we cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to His commandments.