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.”
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 mute [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.
I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:
3 My heart [is] hot within me, In my meditating the fire burns, I have spoken with my tongue.
Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake 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].
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 handbreadths, And my age [is] as nothing before You, Only, every man set up [is] all vanity. (Selah)
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 Only, each habitually walks in an image, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heaps up and does not know who gathers 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 have I expected? O Lord, my hope—it [is] of You.
Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions, Do not make me a reproach of the fool.
From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!
9 I have been mute, I do not open my mouth, Because You have done [it].
I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.
10 Turn aside Your stroke from off me, From the striving of Your hand I have been consumed.
Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.
11 With reproofs against iniquity, You have corrected man, And dissolve his desirableness as a moth, Only, every man [is] vanity. (Selah)
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 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.
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 Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!
Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.
