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 Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Melody of David. I said, [to myself, ] I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue, —I will put on my mouth a muzzle, So long as the lawless is before me.

2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good, and my sorrow was stirred.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:

3 My heart was hot within me. While I was musing the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake 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.

Let me know, O Yahweh, mine end, And the measure of my days—what it is, I would know how short-lived 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)

Lo! as hand-breadths, hast thou granted my days, and my life-time, is as nothing before thee, —Surely, a mere breath, are all men, [even] such as stand firm. (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.

Surely as a shadow, doth every man wander, Surely in vain, do they bustle about, he heapeth things up, and knoweth not who shall gather them in.

7 And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in thee.

Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Make me not the reproach of the foolish.

From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!

9 I was mute. I opened not my mouth, because thou did it.

I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.

10 Remove thy stroke away from me. I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.

Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, 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)

When, by rebukes for iniquity, thou hast corrected a man, Then hast thou consumed, as a moth, all that was delightful within him, Surely, a breath, are all men. (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 Yahweh, And, unto my cry for help, give ear, At my tears, do not be silent, —For, a sojourner, am, I, with thee, A stranger, like all my fathers.

13 O spare me, that I may recover strength before I go from here, and be no more.

Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.