Psalm 38 (37):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If Christ is indeed free from both sin and wrongdoing, we are led to reconsider the attribution of these words from the psalm. It would be quite incongruous for this psalm not to relate to Christ, especially when His Passion is so unmistakably depicted, almost as if foretold from the Gospel. Consider that they divided My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing. How can we overlook that the initial verse of this psalm was uttered by the Lord Himself while hanging on the Cross, saying, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" What was He indicating, if not that the entire psalm pertains to Him, since it was spoken by Him, the Head of His Body, from His own lips? As He continues to declare words about my offences, it is clear they are indeed the words of Christ. Where do sins arise if not from the Body, which represents the Church? For John notes this concerning both Christ's Head and His Body. Why do they speak in the singular? Because, as He stated, the two shall become one flesh (Gen. 2:24). The Apostle refers to this as a profound mystery; yet he speaks about Christ and the Church.

Why does He not say, "My sins," in the same way He articulated, "I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and you did not welcome Me; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me" (Matthew 25:42-43)? Clearly, the Lord was not imprisoned. So why does He not address this to Him, to whom it was said, "When we saw You hungry, thirsty, or in prison, and did not serve You?" His response indicates He spoke on behalf of His Body, asserting that whatever was done to the least of His kind was done to Him (Matthew 25:44-45). Why does He not mention "my sins," especially when He asked Saul, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" (Acts 9:4)? Even while in Heaven, He felt the effects of persecution. As in that instance, the Head speaks for the Body, so here the Head conveys the sentiments of the Body; simultaneously, you can discern the voice of the Head Himself. Do not separate the Head from the Body when hearing the Body's voice, nor the Body when hearing the Head's voice; for they are not two but one flesh (Matthew 19:6). There is no soundness left in my flesh due to Your wrath. Perhaps God is unjustly angry with you, Adam; unjustly angry with you, son of man; for now that you recognize your punishment, having been placed in the Body of Christ, you confess, "There is no health in my flesh because of Your wrath." Declare the righteousness of God's wrath, lest you unwittingly justify yourself while accusing Him. Continually acknowledge the source of the Lord's wrath. There is no health in my flesh because of Your wrath, and there is no respite for my bones. He reaffirms what was stated previously, "There is no health in my flesh," for "There is no rest for my bones" conveys a similar meaning. Though he does not reiterate concerning Your wrath, he indicates the reason behind God's wrath. There is no rest for my bones because of my sins.

He was freed from the Jewish people, who frequently tormented Him with sacrilege and daily unrighteousness, yet He called upon His adversaries to receive mercy, for God’s gaze was filled with love towards them. Since God is full of mercy, do not succumb to despair; even in His anger, He offers forgiveness; even in affliction, He brings healing; and even if He allows your body to suffer destruction, He restores your spirit (1 Cor. 5:5). Do not fear your fragile nature, for the holy and just man finds strength even in his weakness (2 Cor. 12:10).

What do the words mean, There is no peace in my bones because of my sins (Psalm 37:4)? What do these bones represent? Are they of the body or the soul? Yet one would not be concerned about physical pain when the soul is in anguish, for it is characteristic of a saint to desire to mortify the flesh for the sake of the spirit, as Paul disciplined himself (1 Cor. 9:27). This is to avoid being disqualified from judgment. In this sense, the bones can be understood as the inner man, as well as the physical body: the soul’s eyes and nostrils, as Job expressed, The Spirit of God is in my nostrils (Job 27:3). These bones are what form the bonds of love. Thus, Adam remarked about his beloved companion, Behold, this one is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh (Gen. 2:23); and the apostle clarifies, This mystery is profound; I am talking about Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:32). Who can deny that the mystery of Christ and the Church is not based in fleshly matters, but in spiritual truths? The righteous maintain the sanctity of the marital union, not through physical desire, but through the allure of virtue, finding beauty in their spouse's character rather than appearance. Listen to what the Psalmist conveys, not according to the flesh, but rather to inner virtue: My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret (Psalm 138:15). Thus, virtue comprehends the mysteries of God the Father, rather than the flesh.

There is no tranquility in the virtues of our souls when our sins present themselves before us, clashing, merging, and overwhelming us. This concept was clearly articulated by the chosen teacher of the Gentiles in his Second Letter to the Corinthians: For when we arrived in Macedonia, we found no rest for our flesh, as we were pressed in every way: from external conflicts and internal fears (2 Cor. 7:5). If Paul was distressed by the sins of the Macedonians, how much more should we feel burdened by our own sinful actions, which rob us of peace! Our sin remains our gravest adversary: it disturbs the idle, torments the healthy, casts shadows over the joyful, unsettles the peaceful, afflicts the gentle, and stirs the slumbering. We bear guilt with no accuser, experience torment without a tormentor, feel constrained without shackles, and are enslaved without a master. Scripture affirms, You have been sold for your iniquities (Isaiah 50:1). Such sins continually assail us, as the prophet declared, They have sold us and are in power over us (Isaiah 3:12). A sold slave does not escape their past bondage, only to submit to a new master.

The same David articulates such suffering in other psalms as follows: "and I humbled my soul with fasting" (Psalms 34:13); "and my flesh was changed by reason of oil" (Psalms 108:24); and "my bones adhered to my flesh" (Psalms 101:6); or "I was weary with crying, my throat was parched" (Psalms 68:4), among similar expressions.

There is no peace within my bones due to my transgressions. He states that there is no stability or strength in my decaying bones, or soul’s essence—referring to the faculties of the soul and the thoughts that affirm its existence—because they tremble and shake because of my sins. A certain unnamed individual remarked: The nature of sins is the imagination and recollection of them, for my sin is ever present before me (i.e., the remembrance of sin). Simmachus, instead of "from the face of my sins," rendered it as "because of the cause of my sins" in the published Codex.

Zigaben explains that this wrath arises from the threats and calamities declared by the prophet Nathan. “The contemplation of Your wrath,” as noted by Presbyters, “perpetually haunts my thoughts, striking and weighing heavily upon me.” Anfimus, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, expresses a similar sentiment: “When I reflect upon Your wrath toward sinners, I tremble, and just the mere thought of it unravels my entire being.” The state of illness, fatigue, and lethargy must directly stem from God’s disfavor and distaste. Just as life resides in God’s grace and blessings, so death prevails in His rejection and aversion. As St. David articulates in another place (Psalms 29:6), life flourishes in His goodwill; thus, when He soon turns His face away, all things descend into chaos and fade (Psalms 103:29).

The sinner experiences the weight of distress due to his own transgressions (vv. 4-8). There is no peace in my bones because of my sins. In the latter part of verse 4, the holy prophet captures his agonizing condition regarding sin. He states that there is no tranquility in my bones—peace, or rest, as it were: deep within my bones, I endure unbearable pain, which robs me of peace and harmony. In many Psalms (Psalms 6:3; Psalms 30:11; Psalms 50:10), bones often symbolize the foundational elements of the body but also represent the powers of the entire human being. Thus, the phrase “there is no peace in the bones” implies that the internal forces of sin have become dissonant, disintegrated, and at odds with one another—“there is no stability or well-being of soul and body” (Zigaben). This disorder arises from sin that has infiltrated and is acting destructively, throwing everything into turmoil. “The strength of my soul is fatigued,” and this is due to my sins (Athanasius the Great). “The burden of sin that lingers in my memory denies me peace and rest, instead disturbing my bones, meaning my thoughts” (Anfim). “The torment of my conscience invigorates anxiety and hostility throughout my whole being” (Zigaben). Flesh and bones constitute the totality of human existence. The sinner suffers both from the divine wrath above and from the sin itself below. The wrath of God halts the blessings, thus cutting off the flow of life-giving vitality; simultaneously, sin itself acts as a consuming fire. Goodness does not arise from this, but rather evil flourishes. There is no wholeness: God’s favor is essential for the fullness of our life; thus, there is no peace in the latter sense—there exists decay and disorder among the forces: the body clashes with the spirit, the heart is at odds with the mind, and the passions contend against the conscience, among other conflicts. Sin is malicious not only because it invokes divine anger but also because it is inherently toxic. The absence of peace is a direct consequence of sin within us.

A soul that is not seasoned with the divine salt of the Holy Spirit becomes decayed and permeated with all manner of evil and superficial thoughts, allowing malevolent spirits to invade and torment it. The souls of the wicked resemble beasts: they are festering and consumed, shrouded in filth and decay. The degradation of sinful wounds renders a person weak and grotesque, burdened by remorse, guilt, and shame. However, when one embarks on the path of repentance and virtue, the Lord will grant assistance in the struggle against sinful passions. This text instructs us not to conceal our sins or harbor them within our souls like darkness and decay, but rather to confess them openly. The prophet expresses deep anguish due to the removal of the illuminating presence of the Holy Spirit, which he experiences owing to his transgressions. The term “neighbors” refers to both humans and angels who distance themselves because of sin. Malevolent spirits seek out souls, intensifying their assaults, while the wicked plot and scheme day after day. The long-suffering nature of Christ is evident during His Passion. The voice of Adam and his descendants yearns for redemption from Christ and deliverance from hell, striving to overcome sin, condemnation, and death.