Psalms 39
1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked man is before me.
TO THE OVERSEER. FOR JEDUTHUN. A PSALM OF DAVID. I have said, “I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep a curb for my mouth, While the wicked [is] before me.”
2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good, and my sorrow was stirred.
I was mute [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.
3 My heart was hot within me. While I was musing the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
My heart [is] hot within me, In my meditating the fire burns, I have spoken with my tongue.
4 Jehovah, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is. Let me know how frail I am.
“Cause me to know, O YHWH, my end, And the measure of my days—what it [is],” I know how frail I [am].
5 Behold, thou have made my days as handbreadths, and my life-time is as nothing before thee. Surely every man at his best condition is altogether vanity. (Selah)
Behold, You have made my days handbreadths, And my age [is] as nothing before You, Only, every man set up [is] all vanity. (Selah)
6 Surely every man walks in a shadow. Surely they are disquieted in vain. He heaps up, and knows not who shall gather them.
Only, each habitually walks in an image, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heaps up and does not know who gathers them.
7 And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in thee.
And now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope—it [is] of You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Deliver me from all my transgressions, Do not make me a reproach of the fool.
9 I was mute. I opened not my mouth, because thou did it.
I have been mute, I do not open my mouth, Because You have done [it].
10 Remove thy stroke away from me. I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
Turn aside Your stroke from off me, From the striving of Your hand I have been consumed.
11 When thou have corrected man with rebukes for iniquity, thou make his beauty to disintegrate like a moth. Surely every man is vanity. (Selah)
With reproofs against iniquity, You have corrected man, And dissolve his desirableness as a moth, Only, every man [is] vanity. (Selah)
12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear to my cry. Keep not silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
Hear my prayer, O YHWH, And give ear [to] my cry, Do not be silent to my tear, For I [am] a sojourner with You, A settler like all my fathers.
13 O spare me, that I may recover strength before I go from here, and be no more.
Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!
