Psalms 39

1 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.

Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David. I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.

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

I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.

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

My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.

4 Let me know, O Yahweh, mine end, And the measure of my days—what it is, I would know how short-lived I am.

I spoke with my tongue: O Lord, make me know my end. And what is the number of my days: that I may know what is wanting to me.

5 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)

Behold thou hast made my days measurable: and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.

6 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.

Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.

7 Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.

And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.

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

Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.

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

I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.

10 Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.

Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:

11 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)

Thou hast corrected man for iniquity. And thou hast made his soul to waste away like a spider: surely in vain is any man disquieted.

12 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.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: give ear to my tears. Be not silent: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were.

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

O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.