Psalms 39

1 “To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, a psalm of David.” I said, I will guard my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked is before me.

For the end, a Song of David, to Idithun. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner stood in my presence.

2 I was dumb in deep silence, I was quite still, even from [speaking] good; but my pain was greatly excited;

I was dumb, and humbled myself, and kept silence from good [words]; and my grief was renewed.

3 My heart was hot within me, in my self-communing there burnt a fire: [then] spoke I with my tongue,

My heart grew hot within me, and a fire would kindle in my (meditation) I spoke with my tongue,

4 Let me know, O Lord, my end, and the measure of my days, what it is: I wish to know when I shall cease to be.

O Lord, make me to know mine end, and the number of my days, what it is; that I may know what I lack.

5 Behold, measured out with the span hast thou made my days; and my whole duration is nothing before thee: yea, as nothing but vanity doth every man stand here. (Selah)

Behold, you have made my days old; and my existence [is] as nothing before you: nay, every man living [is] altogether vanity. (Pause)

6 As nothing but a shadowy image doth man walk about, yea, for vanity only do all make a noise: he heapeth up his gains, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Surely man walks in a shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them.

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

And now what [is] my expectation? [is it] not the Lord? and my ground [of hope] is with you. (Pause)

8 From all my transgressions deliver thou me: render me not the object of reproach of the worthless.

Deliver me from all my transgressions: you have made me a reproach to the foolish.

9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou hadst done it.

I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; for you are he that made me.

10 Remove thou thy plague away from me: from the blows of thy hand am I consumed.

Remove your scourges from me: I have fainted by reason of the strength of your hand.

11 When thou with corrections chastisest man for iniquity, thou causest his excellence to melt away as [if eaten by] the moth: yea, nothing but vanity is every man. (Selah)

You chasten man with rebukes for iniquity, and you make his life to consume away like a spider's web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. (Pause)

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; be not silent at my tears; for a stranger am I with thee, a sojourner, like all my fathers.

O Lord, listen to my prayer and my supplication: attend to my tears: be not silent, for I am a sojourner in the land, and a stranger, as all my fathers [were].

13 Leave off from me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and am no more.

Spare me, that I may be refreshed, before I depart, and be no more.