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.
For the end, a Song of David, to Idithun. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner stood in my presence.
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:
I was dumb, and humbled myself, and kept silence from good [words]; and my grief 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 a fire would kindle in my (meditation) I spoke with my tongue,
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.
O Lord, make me to know mine end, and the number of my days, what it is; that I may know what I lack.
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, you have made my days old; and my existence [is] as nothing before you: nay, every man living [is] altogether vanity. (Pause)
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 walks in a shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them.
7 Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.
And now what [is] my expectation? [is it] not the Lord? and my ground [of hope] is with you. (Pause)
8 From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!
Deliver me from all my transgressions: you have made me a reproach to the foolish.
9 I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.
I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; for you are he that made me.
10 Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.
Remove your scourges from me: I have fainted by reason of the strength of your hand.
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)
You chasten man with rebukes for iniquity, and you make his life to consume away like a spider's web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. (Pause)
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.
O Lord, listen to my prayer and my supplication: attend to my tears: be not silent, for I am a sojourner in the land, and a stranger, as all my fathers [were].
13 Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.
Spare me, that I may be refreshed, before I depart, and be no more.
