Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my (A)tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
(B)I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
My heart was hot within me;
While I was [a]musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:

Lord, (C)make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but (D)vapor. Selah
Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they [b]busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.

“And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My (E)hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me (F)the reproach of the foolish.
(G)I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was (H)You who did it.
10 (I)Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty (J)melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, (K)as all my fathers were.
13 (L)Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and (M)am no more.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:3 meditating
  2. Psalm 39:6 make an uproar for nothing

Salmo 39 (38)

Sólo vanidad es el ser humano

39 Al maestro del coro. De Yedutún. Salmo de David.
Me dije: “Mis pasos vigilaré
para no pecar con mi lengua;
en mi boca pondré una mordaza
cuando esté ante mí el malvado”.
Guardé un completo silencio,
quedé totalmente callado,
pero mi dolor crecía,
ardía mi corazón dentro de mí;
de tanta angustia me iba inflamando
hasta que mi lengua rompió a hablar:
“Señor, hazme saber mi fin
y cuánto va a durar mi vida,
hazme saber lo efímero que soy”.
Concedes a mi vida unos instantes,
mi existencia no es nada para ti.
Sólo es vanidad el ser humano, [ Pausa]
una sombra fugaz que deambula,
que en vano se angustia
acumulando riquezas
que no sabe para quién serán.
Dios mío, ¿qué puedo esperar yo?
Sólo tú eres mi esperanza.
Líbrame de todos mis pecados,
no me conviertas en burla del necio.
10 Guardo silencio, no abro mi boca,
porque eres tú quien lo ha hecho.
11 Aparta de mí tus golpes,
que por la ira de tu mano muero.
12 Corriges a los seres humanos
castigando sus culpas;
como la polilla destruyes sus encantos,
pues sólo es vanidad el ser humano. [ Pausa]
13 Señor, escucha mi oración,
presta oído a mi grito;
no seas sordo a mi llanto
pues soy un huésped que habita contigo,
un forastero como mis antepasados.
14 Concédeme poder serenarme
antes de que me vaya y deje de existir.

Psalm 39[a]

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

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.”
So I remained utterly silent,(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(E) increased;
    my heart grew hot(F) within me.
While I meditated,(G) the fire(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;(I)
    let me know how fleeting(J) my life is.(K)
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]

“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)

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.(S)
Save me(T) from all my transgressions;(U)
    do not make me the scorn(V) of fools.
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)

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
  2. Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.