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. 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 held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:

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

Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake with my tongue!

4 "YHWH, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me 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 Look, you have made my days handbreadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath." (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 "Surely a person goes about like a shadow. Surely he heaps up vain things of wealth, and doesn't know who shall gather 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, YHWH, what do I wait for? My hope is in 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 the taunt of fools.

From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!

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

I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.

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

Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility 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, 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, 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 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 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more."

Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.