Psalm 39

English Standard Version

What Is the Measure of My Days?

To the choirmaster: to ^(A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will ^(B)guard my ways,
    that I ^(C)may not sin with my tongue;
I will ^(D)guard my mouth with a muzzle,
    so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
²I was ^(E)mute and silent;
    I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
³    My ^(F)heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴“O Lord, ^(G)make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
⁵Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and ^(H)my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely ^(I)all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
⁶    Surely a man ^(J)goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing^[a] they are in turmoil;
    man ^(K)heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

⁷“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
    ^(L)My hope is in you.
⁸Deliver me from all my transgressions.
    ^(M)Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
⁹^(N)I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
    ^(O)for it is you who have done it.
¹⁰^(P)Remove your stroke from me;
    I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
¹¹When you discipline a man
    with ^(Q)rebukes for sin,
you ^(R)consume like a ^(S)moth what is dear to him;
    ^(T)surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

¹²^(U)“Hear my prayer, O Lord,
    and give ear to my cry;
    hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am ^(V)a sojourner with you,
    ^(W)a guest, like all my fathers.
¹³^(X)Look away from me, that I may smile again,
    ^(Y)before I depart and ^(Z)am no more!”

Footnotes

Psalm 39:6 Hebrew Surely as a breath

Psalm 39

New International Version

Psalm 39^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹I 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.”
²So 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)
⁵You 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)
⁸Save me^(T) from all my transgressions;^(U)
    do not make me the scorn^(V) of fools.
⁹I was silent;^(W) I would not open my mouth,^(X)
    for you are the one who has done this.^(Y)
¹⁰Remove your scourge from me;
    I am overcome by the blow^(Z) of your hand.^(AA)
¹¹When 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)

¹²“Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for help;^(AG)
    do not be deaf^(AH) to my weeping.^(AI)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,^(AJ)
    a stranger,^(AK) as all my ancestors were.^(AL)
¹³Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”^(AM)

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 62

English Standard Version

My Soul Waits for God Alone

To the choirmaster: according to ^(A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

62 For God alone ^(B)my soul ^(C)waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
²^(D)He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my ^(E)fortress; ^(F)I shall not be greatly shaken.

³How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like ^(G)a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
⁴They only plan to thrust him down from his ^(H)high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
^(I)They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

⁵For God alone, O ^(J)my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
⁶^(K)He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
⁷On God rests my ^(L)salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, ^(M)my refuge is God.

⁸^(N)Trust in him at all times, O people;
^(O)pour out your heart before him;
God is ^(P)a refuge for us. Selah

⁹^(Q)Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate ^(R)are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    ^(S)they are together lighter than a breath.
¹⁰Put no trust in extortion;
    ^(T)set no vain hopes on robbery;
    ^(U)if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

¹¹^(V)Once God has spoken;
    ^(W)twice have I heard this:
that ^(X)power belongs to God,
¹²    and that to you, O Lord, ^(Y)belongs steadfast love.
For you will ^(Z)render to a man
    according to his work.

Psalm 62

New International Version

Psalm 62^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹Truly my soul finds rest^(A) in God;^(B)
my salvation comes from him.
²Truly he is my rock^(C) and my salvation;^(D)
he is my fortress,^(E) I will never be shaken.^(F)

³How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall,^(G) this tottering fence?
⁴Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.^[b]^(H)

⁵Yes, my soul, find rest in God;^(I)
    my hope comes from him.
⁶Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷My salvation and my honor depend on God^[c];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.^(J)
⁸Trust in him at all times, you people;^(K)
    pour out your hearts to him,^(L)
    for God is our refuge.

⁹Surely the lowborn^(M) are but a breath,^(N)
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance,^(O) they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
¹⁰Do not trust in extortion^(P)
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;^(Q)
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.^(R)

¹¹One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,^(S)
¹²    and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;^(T)
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”^(U)

Footnotes

Psalm 62:1 In Hebrew texts 62:1-12 is numbered 62:2-13.
Psalm 62:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
Psalm 62:7 Or / God Most High is my salvation and my honor

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 39

English Standard Version

What Is the Measure of My Days?

To the choirmaster: to ^(A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 39

New International Version

Psalm 39^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 62

English Standard Version

My Soul Waits for God Alone

To the choirmaster: according to ^(A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Cross references

Psalm 62

New International Version

Psalm 62^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 39 English Standard Version

What Is the Measure of My Days?

To the choirmaster: to (A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 39 New International Version

Psalm 39[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 62 English Standard Version

My Soul Waits for God Alone

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Cross references

Psalm 62 New International Version

Psalm 62[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 39

English Standard Version

To the choirmaster: to ^(A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 39

New International Version

Psalm 39^[a]

Psalm 62

English Standard Version

To the choirmaster: according to ^(A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 62

New International Version

Psalm 62^[a]