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Psalm 39

David wrote this song for Jeduthun, the leader of the music.

Life is short [ a ]

39 I said, ‘I will be careful what I do,
so that I do not sin.
I will also be careful what I say.
When wicked people are listening,
I will not even open my mouth.’
2 So I did not speak a word,
even about good things.
That made me very upset.
3 It was like a fire inside me!
As I thought more about it,
I just had to say something!
So I said this:
4 ‘ Lord , tell me about my life.
Tell me how long it will be,
and when it will finish.
I need to remember that life is only short.
5 Yes, you have made the days of my life only a few!
The time that I live seems very short to you.
Human life is only a breath,
even for those who seem to be strong.
Selah.
6 As we live, we are just like shadows.
We work to get things for ourselves.
We may get a lot of money,
but we do not know who will have it after we die.’

7 So, my Lord, what help can I hope to get?
You are the only one that I can really trust!
8 Save me from all my sins!
Do not let fools insult me.
9 I will not say anything more.
I will not open my mouth,
because it is you who have punished me!
10 Please do not hurt me any more!
You have already punished me enough,
so that I am almost dead!
11 When people do wrong things,
you warn them and you punish them.
You destroy their valuable things,
like a moth eats cloth! [ b ]
Yes, our lives are only a breath!
Selah.
12 Lord , please hear my prayer.
Listen to me when I call to you for help.
Do not turn away from me when I weep.
I need your help,
like a foreign person who lives away from his home.
I live on earth as a stranger,
like all my ancestors did.
13 Stop being angry with me,
so that I can be happy again before I die.

Footnotes

  1. 39:1 David thinks about death in this psalm. He says that life is short and people soon go from the earth. They are like shadows, or a breath. So David finishes with a prayer: let me live a little longer and be happy.
  2. 39:11 A moth is an insect that may lay its eggs in clothes and spoil the clothes.

To the director, Jeduthun. [ a ] A song of David.

39 I said, “I will be careful about what I say.
I will not let my tongue cause me to sin.
I will keep my mouth closed [ b ]
when I am around wicked people.”

2 So I didn’t say anything.
I didn’t even say anything good,
but I became even more upset.
3 I was very angry,
and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
So I said something.

4 Lord , tell me, what will happen to me now?
Tell me, how long will I live?
Let me know how short my life really is.
5 You gave me only a short life.
Compared to you, my whole life is nothing.
The life of every human is like a cloud that quickly disappears. Selah

6 Our life is like an image in a mirror. [ c ]
We rush through life collecting things,
but we don’t know who will get them after we die.

7 So, Lord, what hope do I have?
You are my hope!
8 Save me from the bad things I did.
Don’t let me be treated like a fool.
9 I will not open my mouth.
I will not say anything.
You did what should have been done.
10 But please stop punishing me.
You will destroy me if you do not stop.
11 You punish people for doing wrong to teach them the right way to live.
As a moth destroys cloth, you destroy what people love.
Yes, our lives are like a small cloud that quickly disappears. Selah

12 Lord , hear my prayer!
Listen to the words I cry to you.
Look at my tears.
I am only a traveler passing through this life with you.
Like all my ancestors, I will live here only a short time. [ d ]
13 Leave me alone [ e ] and let me be happy
before I am dead and gone.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 Psalm 39 Jeduthun Or “and to Jeduthun,” one of the three main temple musicians. See 1 Chron. 9:16; 16:38-42.
  2. Psalm 39:1 will keep … closed Literally, “guard my mouth with a muzzle.”
  3. Psalm 39:6 Our life … mirror Or “This life is not real—it is only a shadow” or “People wander around in the dark—not knowing what will happen.”
  4. Psalm 39:12 I will live … time Literally, “I am a settler.”
  5. Psalm 39:13 Leave me alone Or “Stop looking at me.”

39 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.

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

4 Lord , make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

5 Behold, 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.

6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

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

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

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

10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.

11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

12 Hear 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.

13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

The Futility of Life.

For the music director, for [ a ] Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will ( A ) keep watch over my ways
So that I ( B ) do not sin with my tongue;
I will keep watch over ( C ) my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was ( D ) mute [ b ] and silent,
I [ c ] refused to say even something good,
And my pain was stirred up.
3 My ( E ) heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “ Lord , let me know ( F ) my end,
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how ( G ) transient I am.
5 Behold, You have made ( H ) my days like [ d ] hand widths,
And my ( I ) lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Certainly all mankind standing is [ e ] a mere ( J ) breath. Selah
6 Certainly every person ( K ) walks around as [ f ] a fleeting shadow;
They certainly make an ( L ) uproar for nothing;
He ( M ) amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My ( N ) hope is in You.
8 ( O ) Save me from all my wrongdoings;
Do not make me an object of ( P ) reproach for the foolish.
9 I have become ( Q ) mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is ( R ) You who have done it .
10 ( S ) Remove Your plague from me;
Because of ( T ) the opposition of Your hand I am [ g ] perishing.
11 With ( U ) rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing;
You ( V ) consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Certainly ( W ) all mankind is mere breath! Selah

12 “ ( X ) Hear my prayer, Lord , and listen to my cry for help;
Do not be silent ( Y ) to my tears;
For I am ( Z ) a stranger with You,
( AA ) One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.
13 ( AB ) Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again
Before I depart and am no more.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39 Title 1 Chr 16:41
  2. Psalm 39:2 Lit with silence
  3. Psalm 39:2 Lit was silent from good
  4. Psalm 39:5 I.e., short
  5. Psalm 39:5 Or altogether breath
  6. Psalm 39:6 Lit an image
  7. Psalm 39:10 Or wasting away

Psalm 39 [ a ]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

1 I said, “I will watch my ways ( A )
and keep my tongue from sin; ( B )
I will put a muzzle on my mouth ( C )
while in the presence of the wicked.”
2 So I remained utterly silent, ( D )
not even saying anything good.
But my anguish ( E ) increased;
3 my heart grew hot ( F ) within me.
While I meditated, ( G ) the fire ( H ) burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “Show me, Lord , my life’s end
and the number of my days; ( I )
let me know how fleeting ( J ) my life is. ( K )
5 You have made my days ( L ) a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath, ( M )
even those who seem secure. [ b ]

6 “Surely everyone goes around ( N ) like a mere phantom; ( O )
in vain they rush about, ( P ) heaping up wealth ( Q )
without knowing whose it will finally be. ( R )

7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you. ( S )
8 Save me ( T ) from all my transgressions; ( U )
do not make me the scorn ( V ) of fools.
9 I was silent; ( W ) I would not open my mouth, ( X )
for you are the one who has done this. ( Y )
10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow ( Z ) of your hand. ( AA )
11 When you rebuke ( AB ) and discipline ( AC ) anyone for their sin,
you consume ( AD ) their wealth like a moth ( AE ) —
surely everyone is but a breath. ( AF )

12 “Hear my prayer, Lord ,
listen to my cry for help; ( AG )
do not be deaf ( AH ) to my weeping. ( AI )
I dwell with you as a foreigner, ( AJ )
a stranger, ( AK ) as all my ancestors were. ( AL )
13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
before I depart and am no more.” ( AM )

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
  2. Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.
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