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.
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 in deep silence, I was quite still, even from [speaking] good; but my pain was greatly excited;
I kept silent; I kept back my words even from saying anything good, and my pain grew worse.
3 My heart was hot within me, in my self-communing there burnt a fire: [then] spoke I with my tongue,
My heart became hot; when I thought about these things, it burned like a fire. Then finally I spoke.
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.
“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, 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)
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 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.
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 shall I wait for, O Lord? my hope is in thee.
Now, Lord, for what am I waiting? You are my only hope.
8 From all my transgressions deliver thou me: render me not the object of reproach of the worthless.
Rescue me from my sins; do not make me the reproach of fools.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou hadst done it.
I am silent and cannot open my mouth, because it is you who has done it.
10 Remove thou thy plague away from me: from the blows of thy hand am I consumed.
Stop wounding me; I am overwhelmed by the blow of your hand.
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)
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, 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, 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 Leave off from me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and am no more.
Turn your gaze from me so that I may smile again before I die.”
