Psalms 39

1 To the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Melody of David. I said, [to myself, ] I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue, —I will put on my mouth a muzzle, So long as the lawless is before me.

For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:

I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

3 Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake with my tongue!

My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burnt. I spoke with my tongue:

4 Let me know, O Yahweh, mine end, And the measure of my days—what it is, I would know how short-lived I am.

“LORD, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.

5 Lo! as hand-breadths, hast thou granted my days, and my life-time, is as nothing before thee, —Surely, a mere breath, are all men, [even] such as stand firm. (Selah)

Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” (Selah)

6 Surely as a shadow, doth every man wander, Surely in vain, do they bustle about, he heapeth things up, and knoweth not who shall gather them in.

“Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

7 Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.

Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.

8 From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, —The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!

Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

9 I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.

I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it.

10 Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.

Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11 When, by rebukes for iniquity, thou hast corrected a man, Then hast thou consumed, as a moth, all that was delightful within him, Surely, a breath, are all men. (Selah)

When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” (Selah)

12 Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, And, unto my cry for help, give ear, At my tears, do not be silent, —For, a sojourner, am, I, with thee, A stranger, like all my fathers.

“Hear my prayer, LORD, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.

13 Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.

Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away and exist no more.”