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.”
For the chief musician, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I decided, “I will watch what I say so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will muzzle my mouth while in the presence of an evil man.”
2 I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.
I kept silent; I kept back my words even from saying anything good, and my pain grew worse.
3 My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
My heart became hot; when I thought about these things, it burned like a fire. Then finally I spoke.
4 “Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.
“Yahweh, make me know when will be the end of my life and the extent of my days. Show me how transient 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.
See, you have made my days only the width of my hand, and my lifetime is like nothing before you. Surely every man is a single breath. (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 every man walks about like a shadow. Surely everyone hurries about to accumulate riches although they do not know who will receive them.
7 And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
Now, Lord, for what am I waiting? You are my only hope.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.
Rescue me from my sins; do not make me the reproach of fools.
9 I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.
I am silent and cannot open my mouth, because it is you who has done it.
10 Remove Your scourge from me; I am perishing by the force of Your hand.
Stop wounding me; I am overwhelmed by the blow of your hand.
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 you discipline people for sin, you consume the things they desire like a moth; surely all people are nothing but vapor. (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, Yahweh, and listen to me; listen to my weeping! Do not be deaf to me, for I am like a foreigner with you, a refugee like all my ancestors were.
13 Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may again be cheered before I depart and am no more.”
Turn your gaze from me so that I may smile again before I die.”
