What does Psalm 38:3 mean?

David's health was severely affected by his sin (Psalm 38:1, 18) and the Lord's discipline. Some of the language used here might be poetic exaggeration, speaking of how guilt and shame are affecting David's life. It's also entirely possible that these are real symptoms brought on as natural consequences, or simply wielded against David directly as a form of correction. In any case, David cites God's indignation as the reason for his illness. Of course, not all physical illness and disease should be attributed to sin. Sometimes it is a platform for glorifying God (John 9:1–3). In other cases, it's simply part of living in an imperfect and fallen world. A believer who endures illness with trust and praise serves as a testimony to God's sufficiency.

Sometimes physical distress and even death accompany sin and discipline. The apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian church concerning the proper observance of the Lord's Supper. He points out that many of the church's members were weak and ill and some had died because they partook of the ordinance in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27–30). Apparently, some of James's readers were experiencing sickness because of sin. He instructed them to confess their sins to one another and pray for one other that they might be healed (James 5:16).