Terrible sickness leads some people to the erroneous conclusion that God is punishing them for some sin. No, clearly, no. Although God may use an affliction from the Enemy as His loving discipline to effect something good, God punishes all sin, every last one, on the cross of Christ. The source of sickness is Death, the source of death is Sin, and the source of sin is the Devil and the Self. Sin is always, without exception, followed by bad consequences, not punishments.
Each of these Persons is the Enemy that is causing the terrible sickness, the excruciating physical pain, the emotional torment, the social isolation, and the spiritual alienation of the sufferer in Psalm 38. Yes, the Lord is angry, but He is angry at Sin and Death who are causing the suffering of His beloved sinner.
The sufferer recognizes that his condition is caused by foolishness, the denial of God’s rule in human affairs. The wonderful result of this experience (guided by the Holy Spirit) is that he turns to his loving Lord in prayer, in sorrow for sin, in desire for God and in trust for His Salvation. And that’s a good thing. He knows God cares.