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

Psalm 39

For the worship leader, Jeduthun.[a] A song of David.

As an individual lament, Psalm 39 grieves over the brevity of life. The superscription recalls David’s appointment of Jeduthun as one of the tabernacle’s leading musicians (1 Chronicles 16:41–42).

I promised, “I’ll be careful on life’s journey
    not to sin with my words;
I’ll seal my lips
    when wicked people are around.”
I kept my mouth shut;
    I had nothing to say—not even anything good—
    which came to grieve me more and more.
I felt my heart become hot inside me
    as I thought on these things; a fire ignited and burned.
    Then I said,

“Eternal One, let me understand my end
    and how brief my earthly existence is;
    help me realize my life is fleeting.
You have determined the length of my days,
    and my life is nothing compared to You.
Even the longest life is only a breath.”

[pause][b]

In truth, each of us journeys through life like a shadow.
    We busy ourselves accomplishing nothing, piling up assets we can never keep;
We can’t even know who will end up with those things.

In light of all this, Lord, what am I really waiting for?
    You are my hope.
Keep me from all the wrong I would do;
    don’t let the foolish laugh at me.
I am quiet; I keep my mouth closed
    because this has come from You.
10 Take Your curse from me;
    I can’t endure Your punishment.

11 You discipline us for our sins.
    Like a moth, You consume everything we treasure;
    it’s evident we are merely a breath.

[pause]

12 Hear me, O Eternal One;
    listen to my pleading,
    and don’t ignore my tears
Because I am estranged from You—
    a wanderer like my fathers before me.
13 Look away from me so I might have a chance to recover my joy and smile again
    before I lay this life down and am no more.

Footnotes

  1. 39:title 1 Chronicles 9:16
  2. 39:5 Literally, selah, likely a musical direction from a Hebrew root meaning “to lift up”

Vanidad de la vida

Para el director del coro, para Jedutún. Salmo de David.

39 Yo dije: «Guardaré mis caminos(A)
Para no pecar con mi lengua(B);
Guardaré mi boca como con mordaza(C)
Mientras el impío esté en mi presencia».
Enmudecí y callé(D);
Guardé silencio aun acerca de lo bueno,
Y se agravó mi dolor.
Ardía mi corazón dentro de mí(E);
Mientras meditaba, se encendió el fuego;
Entonces dije con mi lengua:
«Señor, hazme saber mi fin(F),
Y cuál es la medida de mis días,
Para que yo sepa cuán efímero soy(G).
Tú has hecho mis días muy breves(H),
Y mi existencia es como nada delante de Ti(I);
Ciertamente todo hombre, aun en la plenitud de su vigor, es solo un soplo(J). (Selah)
Sí, como una sombra anda el hombre(K);
Ciertamente en vano se afana(L);
Acumula riquezas, y no sabe quién las recogerá(M).

»Y ahora, Señor, ¿qué espero?
En Ti está mi esperanza(N).
Líbrame de todas mis transgresiones(O);
No me hagas la burla de los necios(P).
Mudo me he quedado(Q), no abro la boca,
Porque Tú eres el que ha obrado(R).
10 Quita de mí Tu plaga(S);
Por la dureza de Tu mano estoy pereciendo(T).
11 Con castigos reprendes al hombre por su iniquidad(U);
Como la polilla, consumes lo que es más precioso para él(V).
Ciertamente, todo hombre es solo un soplo(W). (Selah)

12 »Escucha mi oración, oh Señor, y presta oído a mi clamor(X);
No guardes silencio ante mis lágrimas(Y);
Porque extranjero soy junto a Ti(Z),
Peregrino, como todos mis padres(AA).
13 Aparta de mí Tu mirada(AB), para poder alegrarme
Antes de que me vaya de aquí y ya no exista».