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.
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 dumb with silence, I held my peace from 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 burned within me; the fire was kindled in my musing: 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 Make me to know, Jehovah, mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: I shall know how frail I am.
“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 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)
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 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 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, what wait I for, Lord? my hope is in thee.
Now, Lord, for what am I waiting? You are my only hope.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Rescue me from my sins; do not make me the reproach of fools.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; for thou hast done [it].
I am silent and cannot open my mouth, because it is you who has done it.
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
Stop wounding me; I am overwhelmed by the blow of your hand.
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)
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, 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, 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 Look away from me, and let me recover strength, before I go hence and be no more.
Turn your gaze from me so that I may smile again before I die.”
