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Psalm 39
New International Version
Psalm 39
New International Version
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)
Footnotes
- Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
- Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.
Psalm 39
Legacy Standard Bible
Psalm 39
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh, Make Me Know My End
For the choir director. For [a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
39 I said, “I will (A)keep watch over my ways
That I (B)may 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 with silence,
I even kept silent from speaking good,
And my anguish grew worse.
3 My (E)heart was hot within me,
While I meditated the fire was burning;
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Yahweh, cause me to 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 as [b]handbreadths,
And my (I)lifetime as nothing before You;
Surely every man, even standing firm, is [c]altogether (J)vanity. [d]Selah.
6 Surely every man (K)walks about as [e]a shadow;
Surely they make an (L)uproar in vain;
He (M)piles up riches and does not know who will gather them.
7 “And now, Lord, what do I hope in?
My (N)expectation is in You.
8 (O)Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the (P)reproach of the wicked fool.
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 wasting away.
11 With (U)reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;
You (V)consume as a moth what is precious to him;
Surely (W)every man is vanity. Selah.
12 “(X)Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and give ear to my cry for help;
Do not be silent (Y)at my tears;
For I am (Z)a sojourner with You,
A (AA)foreign resident like all my fathers.
13 (AB)Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may [f]smile again
Before I go and am no more.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 39 Title 1 Chr 16:41
- Psalm 39:5 A handbreadth was approx. 3 in. or 7.6 cm
- Psalm 39:5 Or mere breath
- Psalm 39:5 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
- Psalm 39:6 Lit an image
- Psalm 39:13 Or become cheerful
Psalm 39
King James Version
Psalm 39
King James Version
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.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
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