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.
TO THE OVERSEER. FOR JEDUTHUN. A PSALM OF DAVID. I have said, “I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep a curb for my mouth, While the wicked [is] before me.”
2 I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.
I was mute [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.
3 My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.
My heart [is] hot within me, In my meditating the fire burns, I have spoken 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.
“Cause me to know, O YHWH, my end, And the measure of my days—what it [is],” I know how frail I [am].
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.
Behold, You have made my days handbreadths, And my age [is] as nothing before You, Only, every man set up [is] all vanity. (Selah)
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.
Only, each habitually walks in an image, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heaps up and does not know who gathers them.
7 And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.
And now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope—it [is] of 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 a reproach of the fool.
9 I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.
I have been mute, I do not open my mouth, Because You have done [it].
10 Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:
Turn aside Your stroke from off me, From the striving of Your hand I have been consumed.
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.
With reproofs against iniquity, You have corrected man, And dissolve his desirableness as a moth, Only, every man [is] vanity. (Selah)
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 YHWH, And give ear [to] my cry, Do not be silent to my tear, For I [am] a sojourner with You, A settler like all my fathers.
13 O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.
Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!
