Psalms 39

¹ What Is the Measure of My Days? To the choirmaster : to Jeduthun . A Psalm of David . I said , I will guard my ways , that I may not sin with my tongue ; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle , so long as the wicked are in my presence .

² I was mute and silent ; I held my peace to no avail , and my distress grew worse .

³ My heart became hot within me. As I mused , the fire burned ; then I spoke with my tongue :

⁴ O Lord , make me know my end and what is the measure of my days ; let me know how fleeting I am!

⁵ Behold , you have made my days a few handbreadths , and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath !

⁶ Surely a man goes about as a shadow ! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil ; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather !

⁷ And now , O Lord , for what do I wait ? My hope is in you.

⁸ Deliver me from all my transgressions . Do not make me the scorn of the fool !

⁹ I am mute ; I do not open my mouth , for it is you who have done it.

¹⁰ Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand .

¹¹ When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin , you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath !

¹² Hear my prayer , O Lord , and give ear to my cry ; hold not your peace at my tears ! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest , like all my fathers .

¹³ Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more !

¹ I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.”

² So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;

³ my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ “Show me, Lord, my life`s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

⁵ You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

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

⁷ “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

⁸ Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.

⁹ I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.

¹⁰ Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

¹¹ When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth— surely everyone is but a breath.

¹² “Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.

¹³ Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again before I depart and am no more.”

¹ 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. Psalm 38 Books Psalm 40