Psalms 39

1 For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked 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 mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

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

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

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

4 “LORD, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail 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 Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” (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 every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

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, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.

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

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

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

9 I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it.

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

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

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

11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” (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, LORD, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.

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 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away and exist no more.”

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