Psalms 39

1 Unto the end. For Jeduthun himself. A Canticle of David. I said, “I will keep to my ways, so that I will not offend with my tongue.” I posted a guard at my mouth, when a sinner took up a position against me.

For the chief musician, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I decided, “I will watch what I say so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will muzzle my mouth while in the presence of an evil man.”

2 I was silenced and humbled, and I was quiet before good things, and my sorrow was renewed.

I kept silent; I kept back my words even from saying anything good, and my pain grew worse.

3 My heart grew hot within me, and, during my (meditation) a fire would flare up.

My heart became hot; when I thought about these things, it burned like a fire. Then finally I spoke.

4 I spoke with my tongue, “O Lord, make me know my end, and what the number of my days will be, so that I may know what is lacking to me.”

“Yahweh, make me know when will be the end of my life and the extent of my days. Show me how transient I am.

5 Behold, you have made my days measurable, and, before you, my substance is as nothing. Yet truly, all things are vanity: every living man.

See, you have made my days only the width of my hand, and my lifetime is like nothing before you. Surely every man is a single breath. (Selah)

6 So then, truly man passes by like an image; even so, he is disquieted in vain. He stores up, and he knows not for whom he will gather these things.

Surely every man walks about like a shadow. Surely everyone hurries about to accumulate riches although they do not know who will receive them.

7 And now, what is it that awaits me? Is it not the Lord? And my substance is with you.

Now, Lord, for what am I waiting? You are my only hope.

8 Rescue me from all my iniquities. You have handed me over as a reproach to the foolish.

Rescue me from my sins; do not make me the reproach of fools.

9 I was silenced, and I did not open my mouth, because it was you who acted.

I am silent and cannot open my mouth, because it is you who has done it.

10 Remove your scourges from me.

Stop wounding me; I am overwhelmed by the blow of your hand.

11 I fall short at corrections from the strength of your hand. For you have chastised man for iniquity. And you have made his soul shrink away like a spider. Nevertheless, it is in vain that any man be disquieted.

When you discipline people for sin, you consume the things they desire like a moth; surely all people are nothing but vapor. (Selah)

12 O Lord, heed my prayer and my supplication. Pay attention to my tears. Do not be silent. For I am a newcomer with you, and a sojourner, just as all my fathers were.

Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and listen to me; listen to my weeping! Do not be deaf to me, for I am like a foreigner with you, a refugee like all my ancestors were.

13 Forgive me, so that I may be refreshed, before I will go forth and be no more.

Turn your gaze from me so that I may smile again before I die.”