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.”

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked is before me.

2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

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

My heart burned within me; the fire was kindled in my musing: I spoke with my tongue,

4 “LORD, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.

Make me to know, Jehovah, mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: I shall know how frail I am.

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 [as] hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, [even] the high placed, is altogether vanity. (Selah)

6 “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.

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

And now, what wait I for, Lord? my hope is in thee.

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

Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish.

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

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; for thou hast done [it].

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

Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.

11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” (Selah)

When thou with rebukes dost correct a man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely, every man is vanity. (Selah)

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, Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; be not silent at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, like all my fathers.

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

Look away from me, and let me recover strength, before I go hence and be no more.