Psalms 39
1 To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. — A Psalm of David. I have said, 'I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, 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 dumb [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.
I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.
3 Hot [is] my heart within me, In my meditating doth the fire burn, I have spoken with my tongue.
My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.
4 'Cause me to know, O Jehovah, mine end, And the measure of my days — what it [is],' I 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 Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age [is] as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity [is] every man set up. (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 Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.
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 And, now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope — it [is] of Thee.
And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.
8 From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not.
Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.
9 I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou — Thou hast done [it].
I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.
10 Turn aside from off me Thy stroke, From the striving of Thy hand I have been consumed.
Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:
11 With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity [is] every man. (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, O Jehovah, And [to] my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I [am] with Thee, A settler like all my fathers.
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 Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!
O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.
