Psalms 39
39
PSALM 39
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthan,
A Psalm of David.
1I said, I will look to my ways,
lest with my tongue I sin:
In sight of wicked men my mouth
with bridle I'll keep in.
2With silence I as dumb became,
I did myself restrain
From speaking good; but then the more
increased was my pain.
3My heart within me waxed hot;
and, while I musing was,
The fire did burn; and from my tongue
these words I did let pass:
4Mine end, and measure of my days,
O Lord, unto me show
What is the same; that I thereby
my frailty well may know.
5Lo, thou my days an handbreadth mad'st;
mine age is in thine eye
As nothing: sure each man at best
is wholly vanity.
6Sure each man walks in a vain show;
they vex themselves in vain:
He heaps up wealth, and doth not know
to whom it shall pertain.
7And now, O Lord, what wait I for?
my hope is fix'd on thee.
8Free me from all my trespasses,
the fool's scorn make not me.
9Dumb was I, op'ning not my mouth,
because this work was thine.
10Thy stroke take from me; by the blow
of thine hand I do pine.
11When with rebukes thou dost correct
man for iniquity,
Thou wastes his beauty like a moth:
sure each man's vanity.
12Attend my cry, Lord, at my tears
and pray'rs not silent be:
I sojourn as my fathers all,
and stranger am with thee.
13O spare thou me, that I my strength
recover may again,
Before from hence I do depart,
and here no more remain.
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 39
39
(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)
A Prayer for Forgiveness
1I told myself, “I'll be careful
not to sin by what I say,
and I'll muzzle my mouth
when evil people are near.”
2I kept completely silent,
but it did no good,#39.2 but … good: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and I hurt even worse.
3I felt a fire burning inside,
and the more I thought,
the more it burned,
until at last I said:
4“Please, Lord,
show me my future.
Will I soon be gone?
5You made my life short,
so brief that the time
means nothing to you.
“Human life is but a breath,
6and it disappears
like a shadow.
Our struggles are senseless;
we store up more and more,
without ever knowing
who will get it all.
7“What am I waiting for?
I depend on you, Lord!
8Save me from my sins.
Don't let fools sneer at me.
9You treated me like this,
and I kept silent,
not saying a word.
10“Won't you stop punishing me?
You have worn me down.
11You punish us severely
because of our sins.
Like a moth, you destroy
what we treasure most.
We are as frail as a breath.
12“Listen, Lord, to my prayer!
My eyes are flooded with tears,
as I pray to you.
I am merely a stranger
visiting in your home
as my ancestors did.
13Stop being angry with me
and let me smile again
before I am dead and gone.”
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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