Psalms 39

1 “To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, a psalm of David.” I said, I will guard my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked is before 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 in deep silence, I was quite still, even from [speaking] good; but my pain was greatly excited;

I was mute [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.

3 My heart was hot within me, in my self-communing there burnt a fire: [then] spoke I with my tongue,

My heart [is] hot within me, In my meditating the fire burns, I have spoken with my tongue.

4 Let me know, O Lord, my end, and the measure of my days, what it is: I wish to know when I shall cease to be.

“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, measured out with the span hast thou made my days; and my whole duration is nothing before thee: yea, as nothing but vanity doth every man stand here. (Selah)

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 As nothing but a shadowy image doth man walk about, yea, for vanity only do all make a noise: he heapeth up his gains, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

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 shall I wait for, O Lord? my hope is in thee.

And now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope—it [is] of You.

8 From all my transgressions deliver thou me: render me not the object of reproach of the worthless.

Deliver me from all my transgressions, Do not make me a reproach of the fool.

9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou hadst done it.

I have been mute, I do not open my mouth, Because You have done [it].

10 Remove thou thy plague away from me: from the blows of thy hand am I consumed.

Turn aside Your stroke from off me, From the striving of Your hand I have been consumed.

11 When thou with corrections chastisest man for iniquity, thou causest his excellence to melt away as [if eaten by] the moth: yea, nothing but vanity is every man. (Selah)

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 give ear unto my cry; be not silent at my tears; for a stranger am I with thee, a sojourner, like all my fathers.

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 Leave off from me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and am no more.

Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!