Psalm 39

Modern

Literal

I Will Watch My Ways

¹For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

I said, “I will watch my ways

so that I will not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle

as long as the wicked are present.”

¹To the one directing. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, as long as a wicked one is before me.”

²I was speechless and still;

I remained silent, even from speaking good,

and my sorrow was stirred.

²I was mute in silence, I kept silent from good, and my sorrow was stirred up.

³My heart grew hot within me;

as I mused, the fire burned.

Then I spoke with my tongue:

³My heart became hot within me; in my musing, a fire was kindled; I have spoken with my tongue:

⁴“Show me, O LORD, my end

and the measure of my days.

Let me know how fleeting my life is.

⁴“Cause me to know, O YHWH, my end, and the measure of my days—what is it?—That I may know how fleeting I am.

⁵You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths,

and my lifetime as nothing before You.

Truly each man at his best

exists as but a breath.

Selah

⁵Behold, as handbreadths have made my days, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each one is a vapor, each man is stationary. Selah

⁶Surely every man goes about like a phantom;

surely he bustles in vain;

he heaps up riches

not knowing who will haul them away.

⁶surely like a shadow every man goes about; surely in vain they are in commotion; he heaps up, and does not know who will gather them.

⁷And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in You.

⁷And now, what am I waiting, O Lord? My hope, it is in You.

⁸Deliver me from all my transgressions;

do not make me the reproach of fools.

⁸May You deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of the fool!

⁹I have become mute;

I do not open my mouth

because of what You have done.

⁹I have become mute, and cannot open my mouth—O that You would act!

¹⁰Remove Your scourge from me;

I am perishing by the force of Your hand.

¹⁰Turn Your plague away from me! By the blow of Your hand I am consumed.

¹¹You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity,

consuming like a moth what he holds dear;

surely each man is but a vapor.

Selah

¹¹With rebukes over iniquity, You discipline a man, the things he desires you melt away like a moth; surely every man is a vapor. Selah

¹²Hear my prayer, O LORD,

and give ear to my cry for help;

do not be deaf to my weeping.

For I am a foreigner dwelling with You,

a stranger like all my fathers.

¹²hear my prayer, O YHWH, and turn your ear to my cry; at my tears may You not be silent! For I am a sojourner with You, a sojourner like all my fathers.

¹³Turn Your gaze away from me,

that I may again be cheered

before I depart and am no more.”

¹³Turn Your gaze from me, that I might be made glad, before I go on and am no more.”