Psalms 39

1 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.”

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.

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

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

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

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

4 “Cause me to know, O YHWH, my end, And the measure of my days—what it [is],” I know how frail I [am].

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

5 Behold, You have made my days handbreadths, And my age [is] as nothing before You, Only, every man set up [is] all vanity. (Selah)

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

6 Only, each habitually walks in an image, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heaps up and does not know who gathers them.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11 With reproofs against iniquity, You have corrected man, And dissolve his desirableness as a moth, Only, every man [is] vanity. (Selah)

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)

12 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.

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].

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

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