Psalm 39 – The Pathos of Life

For the leader; for Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

39 I vowed to watch my words,

and sin not with my tongue,

but to put on my mouth a muzzle,

while the wicked were in my presence.

2 I was silent and dumb,

speechless:

but my pain was stirred up.

3 My heart grew hot within me;

as I mused, the fire was kindled,

till at last the words came to my tongue.

4 ‘Teach me, O Lord, my end,

and the sum of my days what it is.

Let me know how transient I am.

5 See! My days you have made but a span,

and my life is as nothing before you.

It is but as a breath that everyone stands: Selah

6 it is but in mere semblance we walk to and fro,

and all our noise is for nothing.

We heap up, and know not who will gather.’

7 And now, what wait I for, Lord?

My hope is in you.

8 From all my transgressions deliver me;

make me not the scorn of the fool.

9 I am dumb, never opening my mouth,

for this is your own doing.

10 Remove your stroke from off me:

by the might of your hand I am spent.

11 When you rebuke someone to punish their sins,

you consume, like a moth, what they treasures.

Everyone is only a breath. Selah

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord;

attend to my cry for help.

Hold not your peace at my tears.

For I am but a guest of yours,

a stranger visiting, like all my ancestors.

13 Look away from me, let me smile again,

before I die and am gone.