Psalm 38-39

English Standard Version

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, ^(A)for the memorial offering.

38 O Lord, ^(B)rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
²For your ^(C)arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand ^(D)has come down on me.

³There is ^(E)no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my ^(F)bones
    because of my sin.
⁴For my ^(G)iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

⁵My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
⁶I am ^(H)utterly bowed down and ^(I)prostrate;
    all the day I ^(J)go about mourning.
⁷For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is ^(K)no soundness in my flesh.
⁸I am feeble and crushed;
    I ^(L)groan because of the tumult of my heart.

⁹O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my ^(M)sighing is not hidden from you.
¹⁰My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and ^(N)the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
¹¹My ^(O)friends and companions ^(P)stand aloof from my ^(Q)plague,
    and my nearest kin ^(R)stand far off.

¹²Those who seek my life ^(S)lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt ^(T)speak of ruin
and meditate ^(U)treachery all day long.

¹³But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like ^(V)a mute man who does not open his mouth.
¹⁴I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no ^(W)rebukes.

¹⁵But for ^(X)you, O Lord, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
¹⁶For I said, “Only ^(Y)let them not rejoice over me,
who ^(Z)boast against me when my ^(AA)foot slips!”

¹⁷For I am ^(AB)ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
¹⁸I ^(AC)confess my iniquity;
    I am ^(AD)sorry for my sin.
¹⁹But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me ^(AE)wrongfully.
²⁰Those who ^(AF)render me evil for good
    ^(AG)accuse me because I ^(AH)follow after good.

²¹Do not forsake me, O Lord!
O my God, be not ^(AI)far from me!
²²^(AJ)Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my ^(AK)salvation!

What Is the Measure of My Days?

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

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

⁴“O Lord, ^(AR)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 ^(AS)my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely ^(AT)all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
⁶    Surely a man ^(AU)goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing^[a] they are in turmoil;
    man ^(AV)heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

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

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