Psalms 39

1 For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

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 speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking 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 grew hot within me; as I mused, 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 “Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.

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 You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath.

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 goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

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, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.

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

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.

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

9 I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.

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

10 Remove Your scourge from me; I am perishing by the force of Your hand.

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

11 You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor.

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 LORD, and give ear to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. For I am a foreigner dwelling with You, a stranger like all my fathers.

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 Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may again be cheered before I depart and am no more.”

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