Psalms 39
Superscription to Jeduthun
לַמְנַצֵּחַ (לידיתון) לִֽידוּתוּן מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.
The psalmist keeps silence and then speaks
אָמַרְתִּי אֶֽשְׁמְרָה דְרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי אֶשְׁמְרָה לְפִי מַחְסוֹם בְּעֹד רָשָׁע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּֽר׃
I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
חַם-לִבִּי׀ בְּקִרְבִּי בַּהֲגִיגִי תִבְעַר-אֵשׁ דִּבַּרְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃
My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
A prayer on the brevity of life
הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְהוָה׀ קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה-הִיא אֵדְעָה מֶה-חָדֵל אָֽנִי׃
LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
הִנֵּה טְפָחוֹת׀ נָתַתָּה יָמַי וְחֶלְדִּי כְאַיִן נֶגְדֶּךָ אַךְ כָּֽל-הֶבֶל כָּל-אָדָם נִצָּב סֶֽלָה׃
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
אַךְ-בְּצֶלֶם׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ-אִישׁ אַךְ-הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן יִצְבֹּר וְֽלֹא-יֵדַע מִי-אֹסְפָֽם׃
Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
וְעַתָּה מַה-קִּוִּיתִי אֲדֹנָי תּוֹחַלְתִּי לְךָ הִֽיא׃
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
מִכָּל-פְּשָׁעַי הַצִּילֵנִי חֶרְפַּת נָבָל אַל-תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃
Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.
נֶאֱלַמְתִּי לֹא אֶפְתַּח-פִּי כִּי אַתָּה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.
הָסֵר מֵעָלַי נִגְעֶךָ מִתִּגְרַת יָדְךָ אֲנִי כָלִֽיתִי׃
Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
בְּֽתוֹכָחוֹת עַל-עָוֹן׀ יִסַּרְתָּ אִישׁ וַתֶּמֶס כָּעָשׁ חֲמוּדוֹ אַךְ הֶבֶל כָּל-אָדָם סֶֽלָה׃
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
שִׁמְעָֽה תְפִלָּתִי׀ יְהוָה וְשַׁוְעָתִי׀ הַאֲזִינָה אֶֽל-דִּמְעָתִי אַֽל-תֶּחֱרַשׁ כִּי גֵר אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ תּוֹשָׁב כְּכָל-אֲבוֹתָֽי׃
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
הָשַׁע מִמֶּנִּי וְאַבְלִיגָה בְּטֶרֶם אֵלֵךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃
O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.