Psalm 39

A David Psalm

1-3 I'm determined to watch steps and tongue so they won't land me in trouble. I decided to hold my tongue as long as Wicked is in the room. "Mum's the word," I said, and kept quiet. But the longer I kept silence The worse it got— my insides got hotter and hotter. My thoughts boiled over; I spilled my guts.
4-6 "Tell me, what's going on, God? How long do I have to live? Give me the bad news! You've kept me on pretty short rations; my life is string too short to be saved. Oh! we're all puffs of air. Oh! we're all shadows in a campfire. Oh! we're just spit in the wind. We make our pile, and then we leave it.
7-11 "What am I doing in the meantime, Lord? Hoping, that's what I'm doing—hoping You'll save me from a rebel life, save me from the contempt of dunces. I'll say no more, I'll shut my mouth, since you, Lord, are behind all this. But I can't take it much longer. When you put us through the fire to purge us from our sin, our dearest idols go up in smoke. Are we also nothing but smoke?
12-13 "Ah, God, listen to my prayer, my cry—open your ears. Don't be callous; just look at these tears of mine. I'm a stranger here. I don't know my way— a migrant like my whole family. Give me a break, cut me some slack before it's too late and I'm out of here."

Psalm 39

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

1 I decided, “I will watch what I say
and make sure I do not sin with my tongue.
I will put a muzzle over my mouth
while in the presence of an evil man.”

2 I was stone silent;
I held back the urge to speak.
My frustration grew;

3 my anxiety intensified.
As I thought about it, I became impatient.
Finally I spoke these words:

4 “O Lord, help me understand my mortality
and the brevity of life!
Let me realize how quickly my life will pass!

5 Look, you make my days short-lived,
and my life span is nothing from your perspective.
Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.

6 Surely people go through life as mere ghosts.
Surely they accumulate worthless wealth
without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”

7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?
You are my only hope!

8 Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion!
Do not make me the object of fools’ insults!

9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth
because of what you have done.

10 Please stop wounding me!
You have almost beaten me to death!

11 You severely discipline people for their sins;
like a moth you slowly devour their strength.
Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Listen to my cry for help!
Do not ignore my sobbing!
For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land;
I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were.

13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy
before I pass away.