< Psalms 39 >
1 Unto the end. For Jeduthun himself. A Canticle of David. I said, “I will keep to my ways, so that I will not offend with my tongue.” I posted a guard at my mouth, when a sinner took up a position against me.
To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. — A Psalm of David. I have said, 'I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked [is] before me.'
2 I was silenced and humbled, and I was quiet before good things, and my sorrow was renewed.
I was dumb [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.
3 My heart grew hot within me, and, during my (meditation) a fire would flare up.
Hot [is] my heart within me, In my meditating doth the fire burn, I have spoken with my tongue.
4 I spoke with my tongue, “O Lord, make me know my end, and what the number of my days will be, so that I may know what is lacking to me.”
'Cause me to know, O Jehovah, mine end, And the measure of my days — what it [is],' I know how frail I [am].
5 Behold, you have made my days measurable, and, before you, my substance is as nothing. Yet truly, all things are vanity: every living man.
Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age [is] as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity [is] every man set up. (Selah)
6 So then, truly man passes by like an image; even so, he is disquieted in vain. He stores up, and he knows not for whom he will gather these things.
Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.
7 And now, what is it that awaits me? Is it not the Lord? And my substance is with you.
And, now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope — it [is] of Thee.
8 Rescue me from all my iniquities. You have handed me over as a reproach to the foolish.
From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not.
9 I was silenced, and I did not open my mouth, because it was you who acted.
I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou — Thou hast done [it].
10 Remove your scourges from me.
Turn aside from off me Thy stroke, From the striving of Thy hand I have been consumed.
11 I fall short at corrections from the strength of your hand. For you have chastised man for iniquity. And you have made his soul shrink away like a spider. Nevertheless, it is in vain that any man be disquieted.
With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity [is] every man. (Selah)
12 O Lord, heed my prayer and my supplication. Pay attention to my tears. Do not be silent. For I am a newcomer with you, and a sojourner, just as all my fathers were.
Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And [to] my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I [am] with Thee, A settler like all my fathers.
13 Forgive me, so that I may be refreshed, before I will go forth and be no more.
Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!