1To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.” (1Ki 2:4; 2Ki 10:31; 1Ch 16:41; 1Ch 25:1; Job 2:10; Ps 34:13; Ps 62:1; Ps 77:1)2I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. (Job 40:4; Ps 38:13; Ps 39:9)3My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: (Job 32:18; Jer 20:9; Lu 24:32)4“O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! (Ps 90:12)5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! (Job 14:2; Ps 39:11; Ps 89:47; Ps 90:4)6Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing[1] they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! (Job 27:16; Ps 49:10; Ec 2:18; Ec 2:21; Ec 2:26; Jer 17:11; Lu 12:20; 1Co 7:31; Jas 4:14)7“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. (Ps 38:15)8Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! (Ps 44:13)9I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. (2Sa 16:10; Job 2:10; Ps 39:2)10Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. (Job 9:34; Job 13:21)11When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! (Job 13:28; Ps 39:5; Ps 49:14; Ps 80:16; Isa 50:9)12“Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. (Ge 47:9; Le 25:23; 1Ch 29:15; Ps 102:1; Ps 119:19; Heb 11:13; 1Pe 2:11)13Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” (Job 7:8; Job 7:19; Job 10:21; Job 14:10; Job 20:9)
Psalm 39
New International Version
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1I said, ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.’2So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;3my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:4‘Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.5You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.[1]6‘Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.7‘But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.8Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.9I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.10Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand.11When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth – surely everyone is but a breath.12‘Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.13Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again before I depart and am no more.’
Psalm 39
King James Version
1To the chief Musician, even 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 bridle, while the wicked is before me.2I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.3My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,4LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am .5Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.6Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches , and knoweth not who shall gather them.7And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.8Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.9I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it .10Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.11When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.12Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were .13O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
Psalm 39
New International Reader’s Version
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1I said, ‘I will be careful about how I live. I will not sin by what I say. I will keep my mouth closed when I am near sinful people.’2So I was completely silent. I didn’t even say anything good. But the pain inside me grew worse.3My heart was deeply troubled. As I thought about what was happening to me, I became even more troubled. Then I spoke out.4I said, ‘LORD, show me when my life will end. Show me how many days I have left. Tell me how short my life will be.5You have given me only a few days to live. My whole life doesn’t seem like anything to you. No one lasts any longer than a breath. This is true even for those who feel secure.6People are only shadows as they go here and there. They rush around, but it doesn’t mean anything. They pile up wealth, but they don’t know who will finally get it.7‘Lord, what can I look forward to now? You are the only hope I have.8Save me from all the wrong things I’ve done. Don’t let foolish people make fun of me.9I keep silent. I don’t open my mouth. You are the one who has caused all this to happen.10Please stop beating me. I’m about to die from the blows of your hand.11You correct and punish people for their sin. Then, just as a moth eats cloth, you destroy their wealth. No one lasts any longer than a breath.12‘LORD, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my weeping. I’m like an outsider in your home. I’m just a stranger, like all my family who lived before me.13Leave me alone. Let me enjoy life again before I die.’