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.
I said [to myself], “I will be careful not to sin by the things that I say [MTY]. I will not say anything [to complain] while wicked people are near to me [and can hear me].”
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:
[So] I was completely silent [DOU], and I did not [even] talk about things that were good, but it was useless, because I began to suffer even more.
3 Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake with my tongue!
I became very anxious/worried [IDM]. As I thought [about my troubles], I became more worried. Then [finally] I said [MTY],
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.
“Yahweh, show/tell me how long I will live. Tell me when I will die. Tell me how many years I will live!
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)
[It seems that] you have caused me to live only a short time; (my lifetime/all the time that I have lived) seems like nothing to you. The time that all we humans live is [as short as] [MET] a puff of wind.
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.
Then we disappear like a shadow does. It seems that all that we do is for nothing/useless. We [sometimes] get a lot of money, but we do not know who will get it [after we die].
7 Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.
So now, Yahweh, if I expect [RHQ] [to receive blessings from other people], I will be disappointed. You are the [only] one from whom I confidently expect [to receive blessings].
8 From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!
Save me from [being punished for] all the sins that I have committed. And do not allow foolish people to make fun of me.
9 I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.
I did not say anything [when you punished me], because [I knew that] you were the one who caused [me to suffer].
10 Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.
But now, please stop punishing me! [If you do not do that], I am about to die because of the ways that you [SYN] have struck/afflicted me.
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)
When you rebuke someone and punish him for the sin that he has committed, you destroy the things that (he loves/are precious to him), like moths’ [larva] destroy clothing. Our lives [disappear like] a puff of wind.
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.
Yahweh, listen to me while I pray; pay attention to me while I cry out to you. Help me while I am crying. I am here on the earth for only a short time, like all my ancestors.
13 Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.
[Now] please leave me alone, [and do not punish me any more] in order that I may smile and be happy for a while before I die. [EUP, DOU]”
