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 Overseer, to Jeduthun. — A Psalm of David. I have said, 'I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, 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 [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.

3 My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue:

Hot [is] my heart within me, In my meditating doth the fire burn, I have spoken with my tongue.

4 "LORD, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.

'Cause me to know, O Jehovah, mine end, And the measure of my days — what it [is],' I know how frail I [am].

5 Look, you have made my days handbreadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath." (Selah)

Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age [is] as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity [is] every man set up. (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.

Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

7 And now, LORD, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.

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

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the taunt of fools.

From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not.

9 I was mute. I did not open my mouth, because you did it.

I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou — Thou hast done [it].

10 Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

Turn aside from off me Thy stroke, From the striving of Thy hand I have been 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)

With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, 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 Jehovah, And [to] my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I [am] with Thee, A settler like all my fathers.

13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more."

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