Psalms 39

1 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].”

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 [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.

I was dumb, and humbled myself, and kept silence from good [words]; and my grief was renewed.

3 I became very anxious/worried [IDM]. As I thought [about my troubles], I became more worried. Then [finally] I said [MTY],

My heart grew hot within me, and a fire would kindle in my (meditation) I spoke with my tongue,

4 “Yahweh, show/tell me how long I will live. Tell me when I will die. Tell me how many years I will live!

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 [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.

Behold, thou hast made my days old; and my existence [is] as nothing before thee: nay, every man living [is] altogether vanity. (Pause)

6 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].

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 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].

And now what [is] my expectation? [is it] not the Lord? and my ground [of hope] is with thee. (Pause)

8 Save me from [being punished for] all the sins that I have committed. And do not allow foolish people to make fun of me.

Deliver me from all my transgressions: thou hast made me a reproach to the foolish.

9 I did not say anything [when you punished me], because [I knew that] you were the one who caused [me to suffer].

I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; for thou art he that made me.

10 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.

Remove thy scourges from me: I have fainted by reason of the strength of thine hand.

11 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.

Thou chastenest man with rebukes for iniquity, and thou makest his life to consume away like a spider's web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. (Pause)

12 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.

O Lord, hearken 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 [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]”

Spare me, that I may be refreshed, before I depart, and be no more.