< Psalms 39 >
1 To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked is before me.
Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David. I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.
3 My heart burned within me; the fire was kindled in my musing: I spoke with my tongue,
My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.
4 Make me to know, Jehovah, mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: I shall know how frail I am.
I spoke with my tongue: O Lord, make me know my end. And what is the number of my days: that I may know what is wanting to me.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days [as] hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, [even] the high placed, is altogether vanity. (Selah)
Behold thou hast made my days measurable: and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.
6 Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.
Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.
7 And now, what wait I for, Lord? my hope is in thee.
And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; for thou hast done [it].
I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:
11 When thou with rebukes dost correct a man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely, every man is vanity. (Selah)
Thou hast corrected man for iniquity. And thou hast made his soul to waste away like a spider: surely in vain is any man disquieted.
12 Hear my prayer, Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; be not silent at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, like all my fathers.
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: give ear to my tears. Be not silent: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were.
13 Look away from me, and let me recover strength, before I go hence and be no more.
O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.