What does Psalm 38:17 mean?

In this psalm, David has expressed the intense misery he feels because of God's correction and conviction (Psalm 38:1–4, 8). Here, he suggests he is ready to collapse, as if dropping to the ground in death. His misery is relentless because his sin is clear (Psalm 38:18). To his credit, David did not let suffering drive him away from the Lord. Instead of bitterly rejecting God's discipline, or attempting to ignore his own sin, David appeals to God for forgiveness and restoration (Psalm 38:22).

The infamous experiences of Job revolve around pain and suffering. He lost his sons and daughters, his servants, his livestock, and his health, but he refused to lose his faith in the Lord. When his wife urged him to curse God and die, Job replied, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive [hardship]? (Job 2:10). Later, he expressed resolute faith in God as his redeemer. He declared: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself …" (Job 19:25–27). Faith in the Lord surmounts even the most challenging circumstances!