Psalms 39
1 [For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.] I said, "I will watch my ways, so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me."
“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.
2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.
I was dumb in deep silence, I was quite still, even from [speaking] good; but my pain was greatly excited;
3 My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue:
My heart was hot within me, in my self-communing there burnt a fire: [then] spoke I with my tongue,
4 "LORD, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.
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.
5 Look, you have made my days handbreadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath." (Selah)
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)
6 "Surely a person goes about like a shadow. Surely he heaps up vain things of wealth, and doesn't know who shall gather them.
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.
7 And now, LORD, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
And now, what shall I wait for, O Lord? my hope is in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the taunt of fools.
From all my transgressions deliver thou me: render me not the object of reproach of the worthless.
9 I was mute. I did not open my mouth, because you did it.
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou hadst done it.
10 Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
Remove thou thy plague away from me: from the blows of thy hand am I consumed.
11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, You consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath." (Selah)
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)
12 "Hear my prayer, LORD, and give ear to my cry. Do not be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.
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.
13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more."
Leave off from me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and am no more.
