Psalm 39-40

Common English Bible

Psalm 39

For the music leader. To Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

39 I promised I would watch my steps
    so as not to sin with my tongue;
    promised to keep my mouth shut
    as long as the wicked were in my presence.
²So I was completely quiet, silent.
    I kept my peace, but it did no good.
    My pain got worse.
³My heart got hot inside me;
    while stewing over it, the fire burned.
Then I spoke out with my tongue:
⁴    “Let me know my end, Lord.
    How many days do I have left?
    I want to know how brief my time is.”
⁵You’ve made my days so short;
    my lifetime is like nothing in your eyes.
        Yes, a human life is nothing but a puff of air! Selah

⁶Yes, people wander around like shadows;
    yes, they hustle and bustle, but pointlessly;
        they don’t even know who will get the wealth they’ve amassed.
⁷So now, Lord, what should I be waiting for?
        My hope is set on you.
⁸Deliver me from all my sins;
    don’t make me some foolish person’s joke.
⁹I am completely silent; I won’t open my mouth
    because you have acted.
¹⁰Get this plague of yours off me!
    I’m being destroyed by the blows from your fist.
¹¹You discipline people for their sin, punishing them;
    like a moth, you ruin what they treasure.
        Yes, a human life is just a puff of air! Selah

¹²Hear my prayer, Lord!
    Listen closely to my cry for help!
Please don’t ignore my tears!
    I’m just a foreigner—
        an immigrant staying with you,
        just like all my ancestors were.
¹³Look away from me
    so I can be happy again
    before I pass away and am gone.

Psalm 40

For the music leader. Of David. A psalm.

40 I put all my hope in the Lord.
    He leaned down to me;
    he listened to my cry for help.
²He lifted me out of the pit of death,
    out of the mud and filth,
    and set my feet on solid rock.
        He steadied my legs.
³He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise for our God.
Many people will learn of this and be amazed;
    they will trust the Lord.
⁴Those who put their trust in the Lord,
    who pay no attention to the proud
    or to those who follow lies,
    are truly happy!

⁵You, Lord my God!
    You’ve done so many things—
    your wonderful deeds and your plans for us—
        no one can compare with you!
    If I were to proclaim and talk about all of them,
        they would be too numerous to count!
⁶You don’t relish sacrifices or offerings;
    you don’t require entirely burned offerings or compensation offerings—
    but you have given me ears!
⁷So I said, “Here I come!
    I’m inscribed in the written scroll.
⁸    I want to do your will, my God.
    Your Instruction is deep within me.”
⁹I’ve told the good news of your righteousness
    in the great assembly.
    I didn’t hold anything back—
        as you well know, Lord!
¹⁰I didn’t keep your righteousness only to myself.
    I declared your faithfulness and your salvation.
I didn’t hide your loyal love and trustworthiness
    from the great assembly.

¹¹So now you, Lord—
    don’t hold back any of your compassion from me.
Let your loyal love and faithfulness always protect me,
¹²    because countless evils surround me.
My wrongdoings have caught up with me—
    I can’t see a thing!
There’s more of them than hairs on my head—
    my courage leaves me.
¹³Favor me, Lord, and deliver me!
    Lord, come quickly and help me!
¹⁴Let those who seek my life, who want me dead,
    be disgraced and put to shame.
Let those who want to do me harm
    be thoroughly frustrated and humiliated.
¹⁵Let those who say to me, “Yes! Oh, yes!”^[a]
    be destroyed by their shame.
¹⁶But let all who seek you
    celebrate and rejoice in you.
Let those who love your salvation always say,
    “The Lord is great!”
¹⁷But me? I’m weak and needy.
    Let my Lord think of me.
You are my help and my rescuer.
    My God, don’t wait any longer!