1Dem Chorleiter. Für Jedutun.[1] Ein Psalmlied von David.2Ich nahm mir vor, auf mich zu achten, dass mein Reden nicht zur Sünde wird, / dass ich meine Zunge zügle, wenn Gottlose bei mir sind.3Ich habe mich in Schweigen gehüllt, / doch das tat mir nicht gut, / es regte sich mein Schmerz.4Das Herz wurde mir heiß in der Brust. / Mein Stöhnen entfachte ein Feuer. / Da musste ich reden:5Lass mich erkennen, Jahwe, mein Ende; / zeig mir das Maß meiner Tage, / dass ich weiß, wie vergänglich ich bin.6Mein Leben ist nur ein paar Handbreit lang, / meine Lebenszeit vor dir wie ein Nichts. / Wie fest meint jeder Mensch zu stehen / und ist doch nur ein Hauch. ♪7Wie ein Schatten geht der Mensch daher, / macht Lärm um Kleinigkeiten; / er sammelt und speichert und weiß nicht einmal, wer es bekommt.8Worauf soll ich denn hoffen, Herr? / Ich setze meine Hoffnung auf dich!9Befreie mich von all meiner Schuld / und mach mich nicht zum Gespött dieser Narren.10Ich bin jetzt still, / mache den Mund nicht mehr auf, / denn von dir kam alles, was geschah.11Nimm nun deine Plage von mir, / denn ich vergehe unter deiner strafenden Hand.12Strafst du einen Mann für seine Schuld, / zerstörst du seine Schönheit wie die Motte ein Kleid. / Nur ein Hauch ist jeder Mensch. ♪13Hör auf mein Gebet, Jahwe! / Achte auf mein Schreien! / Schweig doch nicht zu meinen Tränen! / Ich bin ja nur ein Gast bei dir, / ein Fremder wie all meine Väter.14Schau von mir weg, damit ich aufatmen kann, / bevor ich gehen muss und nicht mehr bin.
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.’
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.” (1Kön 2,4; 2Kön 10,31; 1Chr 16,41; 1Chr 25,1; Hi 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. (Hi 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: (Hi 32,18; Jer 20,9; Lk 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! (Hi 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! (Hi 27,16; Ps 49,10; Pred 2,18; Pred 2,21; Pred 2,26; Jer 17,11; Lk 12,20; 1Kor 7,31; Jak 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. (2Sam 16,10; Hi 2,10; Ps 39,2)10Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. (Hi 9,34; Hi 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! (Hi 13,28; Ps 39,5; Ps 49,14; Ps 80,16; Jes 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. (1Mo 47,9; 3Mo 25,23; 1Chr 29,15; Ps 102,1; Ps 119,19; Hebr 11,13; 1Petr 2,11)13Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” (Hi 7,8; Hi 7,19; Hi 10,21; Hi 14,10; Hi 20,9)