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. 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.”

2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

I was mute [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:

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

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

“Cause me to know, O YHWH, my 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)

Behold, You have made my days handbreadths, And my age [is] as nothing before You, Only, every man set up [is] all vanity. (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, each habitually walks in an image, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heaps up and does not know who gathers them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turn aside Your stroke from off me, From the striving of Your 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, You have corrected man, And dissolve his desirableness as a moth, Only, every man [is] vanity. (Selah)

12 "Hear my prayer, YHWH, 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 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.

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!