Psalms 39

1 For the end, a Song of David, to Idithun. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner stood in my presence.

To the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Melody of David. I said, [to myself, ] I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue, —I will put on my mouth a muzzle, So long as the lawless is before me.

2 I was dumb, and humbled myself, and kept silence from good [words]; and my grief was renewed.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:

3 My heart grew hot within me, and a fire would kindle in my (meditation) I spoke with my tongue,

Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake with my tongue!

4 O Lord, make me to know mine end, and the number of my days, what it is; that I may know what I lack.

Let me know, O Yahweh, mine end, And the measure of my days—what it is, I would know how short-lived I am.

5 Behold, you have made my days old; and my existence [is] as nothing before you: nay, every man living [is] altogether vanity. (Pause)

Lo! as hand-breadths, hast thou granted my days, and my life-time, is as nothing before thee, —Surely, a mere breath, are all men, [even] such as stand firm. (Selah)

6 Surely man walks in a shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them.

Surely as a shadow, doth every man wander, Surely in vain, do they bustle about, he heapeth things up, and knoweth not who shall gather them in.

7 And now what [is] my expectation? [is it] not the Lord? and my ground [of hope] is with you. (Pause)

Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: you have made me a reproach to the foolish.

From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!

9 I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; for you are he that made me.

I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.

10 Remove your scourges from me: I have fainted by reason of the strength of your hand.

Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.

11 You chasten man with rebukes for iniquity, and you make his life to consume away like a spider's web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. (Pause)

When, by rebukes for iniquity, thou hast corrected a man, Then hast thou consumed, as a moth, all that was delightful within him, Surely, a breath, are all men. (Selah)

12 O Lord, listen to my prayer and my supplication: attend to my tears: be not silent, for I am a sojourner in the land, and a stranger, as all my fathers [were].

Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, And, unto my cry for help, give ear, At my tears, do not be silent, —For, a sojourner, am, I, with thee, A stranger, like all my fathers.

13 Spare me, that I may be refreshed, before I depart, and be no more.

Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.