New American Standard Bible 2020

Psalms 39

The Futility of Life.

For the music director, for 1 Chr 16:41Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1I said, “I will 1keep watch over my ways So that I 2do not sin with my tongue; I will keep watch over 3my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.”2I was 4mute 5and silent, I 6refused to say even something good, And my pain was stirred up.3My 7heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue:4“Lord, let me know 8my end, And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how 9transient I am.5Behold, You have made 10my days like 11hand widths, And my 12lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Certainly all mankind standing is 13a mere 14breath. Selah6Certainly every person 15walks around as 16a fleeting shadow; They certainly make an 17uproar for nothing; He 18amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

7“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My 19hope is in You.8 20Save me from all my wrongdoings; Do not make me an object of 21reproach for the foolish.9I have become 22mute, I do not open my mouth, Because it is 23You who have done it.10 24Remove Your plague from me; Because of 25the opposition of Your hand I am 26perishing.11With 27rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing; You 28consume like a moth what is precious to him; Certainly 29all mankind is mere breath! Selah

12“30Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help; Do not be silent 31to my tears; For I am 32a stranger with You, 33One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.13 34Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again Before I depart and am no more.”

Notes

1. Psalms 39:1 1 Kin 2:4; 2 Kin 10:31; Ps 119:9 ↩
2. Psalms 39:1 Job 2:10; Ps 34:13; James 3:5-12 ↩
3. Psalms 39:1 Ps 141:3; James 3:2 ↩
4. Psalms 39:2 Ps 38:13 ↩
5. Psalms 39:2 Lit with silence ↩
6. Psalms 39:2 Lit was silent from good ↩
7. Psalms 39:3 Ps 32:4; Jer 20:9; Luke 24:32 ↩
8. Psalms 39:4 Job 6:11; Ps 90:12; 119:84 ↩
9. Psalms 39:4 Ps 78:39; 103:14 ↩
10. Psalms 39:5 Ps 89:47 ↩
11. Psalms 39:5 I.e., short ↩
12. Psalms 39:5 Ps 144:4 ↩
13. Psalms 39:5 Or altogether breath ↩
14. Psalms 39:5 Job 14:2; Ps 62:9; Eccl 6:12 ↩
15. Psalms 39:6 1 Cor 7:31; James 1:10, 11; 1 Pet 1:24 ↩
16. Psalms 39:6 Lit an image ↩
17. Psalms 39:6 Ps 127:2; Eccl 5:17 ↩
18. Psalms 39:6 Ps 49:10; Eccl 2:26; 5:14; Luke 12:20 ↩
19. Psalms 39:7 Ps 38:15 ↩
20. Psalms 39:8 Ps 51:9, 14; 79:9 ↩
21. Psalms 39:8 Ps 44:13; 79:4; 119:22 ↩
22. Psalms 39:9 Ps 39:2 ↩
23. Psalms 39:9 2 Sam 16:10; Job 2:10 ↩
24. Psalms 39:10 Job 9:34; 13:21 ↩
25. Psalms 39:10 Ps 32:4 ↩
26. Psalms 39:10 Or wasting away ↩
27. Psalms 39:11 Ezek 5:15; 2 Pet 2:16 ↩
28. Psalms 39:11 Job 13:28; Ps 90:7; Is 50:9 ↩
29. Psalms 39:11 Ps 39:5 ↩
30. Psalms 39:12 Ps 102:1; 143:1 ↩
31. Psalms 39:12 2 Kin 20:5; Ps 56:8 ↩
32. Psalms 39:12 Lev 25:23; 1 Chr 29:15; Ps 119:19; Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11 ↩
33. Psalms 39:12 Gen 47:9 ↩
34. Psalms 39:13 Job 7:19; 10:20, 21; 14:6; Ps 102:24 ↩

The Futility of Life.

For the music director, for 1 Chr 16:41Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

Notes

Commentaries on Psalms 39