Psalms 38:9 - Exposition

Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. This has been called "the first indication of hope in this psalm;" but there is a gleam of hope in the prayer of Psalms 38:1 . Hope, however, does here show itself more plainly than before. The psalmist has laid "all his desire" before God, and feels that God is weighing and considering it. He has also opened to him "all his groanings"—uttered freely all his complaint. This he could have been led to do only from a conviction that God was not irrevocably offended with him, but might, by repentance, confession, and earnest striving after amendment ( Psalms 38:20 ), be reconciled, and induced to become his Defence ( Psalms 38:15 ) and his Salvation ( Psalms 38:22 ).