The illustration of this truth from the Psalmist's own experience. He kept silence, refusing to acknowledge his sin to himself and to God; but meanwhile God did not leave him to himself (Job 33:16 ff.); His chastening hand was heavy upon him (Psalms 38:2; Psalms 39:10), making itself felt partly by the remorse of conscience, partly perhaps by actual sickness. He suffered and complained (Psalms 22:1; Psalms 38:8); but such complaint was no prayer (Hosea 7:14), and brought no relief, while he would not confess his sin.

my bones See note on Psalms 6:2.

my moisture&c. R.V. my moisture was changed as with (marg., into) the drought of summer: the vital sap and juices of his body were dried up by the burning fever within him. Cp. Psalms 22:15; Proverbs 17:22.

Selah The musical interlude here may have expressed the Psalmist's distress of mind, and prepared the way for the change in the next verse.

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