Psalm 39

What Is the Measure of My Days?

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

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

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

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

12  "Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.
13  Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!"

Psalms 39

A prayer for forgiveness

1 I told myself, “I'll be careful
not to sin by what I say,
and I'll muzzle my mouth
when evil people are near.”

2 I kept completely silent,
but it did no good,t
and I suffered even more.

3 I felt a fire burning inside,
and the more I thought,
the more it burnt,
until at last I said:

4 “Please, Lord,
show me my future.
Will I soon be gone?

5 You made my life short,
so brief that the time
means nothing to you.
“Human life is but a breath,

6 and it disappears
like a shadow.
Our struggles are senseless;
we store up more and more,
without ever knowing
who will get it all.

7 “What am I waiting for?
I depend on you, Lord!

8 Save me from my sins.
Don't let fools sneer at me.

9 You treated me like this,
and I kept silent,
not saying a word.

10 “Won't you stop punishing me?
You have worn me down.

11 You punish us severely
because of our sins.
Like a moth, you destroy
what we treasure most.
We are as frail as a breath.

12 “Listen, Lord, to my prayer!
My eyes are flooded with tears,
as I pray to you.
I am merely a stranger
visiting your home
as my ancestors did.

13 Stop being angry with me
and let me smile again
before I am dead and gone.”