Psalms 39

1 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.

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.”

2 I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.

I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.

3 My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.

My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

4 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.

“Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.

5 Behold thou hast made my days measurable: and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.

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.

6 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.

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

7 And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.

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

8 Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.

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

9 I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.

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

10 Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:

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

11 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.

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

12 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.

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.

13 O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.

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