Revised Literal Translation

Psalms 39

To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

1I saidאָמַ֗רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559,I will take heedאֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה'esh.me.RahH8104to my waysדְרָכַי֮de.ra.KhaiH1870,that I sinמֵחֲט֪וֹאme.cha.To'H2398not with my tongueבִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥יvil.Sho.NiH3956:I will keepאֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה'esh.me.RahH8104my mouthלְפִ֥יle.FiH6310with a bridleמַחְס֑וֹםmach.SomH4269,while the wickedרָשָׁ֣עra.Sha'H7563is before me.

2I was dumbנֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּיne.'e.Lam.tiH481with silenceד֭וּמִיָּהDu.mi.yahH1747,I held my peaceהֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִיhe.che.Shei.tiH2814, evenfrom goodמִטּ֑וֹבmi.TovH2896;and my sorrowוּכְאֵבִ֥יu.khe.'e.ViH3511was stirredנֶעְכָּֽר׃ne'.KarH5916.

3My heartלִבִּ֨י׀li.BiH3820was hotחַם־cham-H2552withinבְּקִרְבִּ֗יbe.kir.BiH7130me, while I was musingבַּהֲגִיגִ֥יba.ha.gi.GiH1901the fireאֵ֑שׁ'EshH784burnedתִבְעַר־tiv.'ar-H1197:thenH227spakeדִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּיdi.Bar.tiH1696I with my tongueבִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃bil.Sho.niH3956,

4Yhwhיְהוָ֨ה׀Yah.wehH3068,make me to knowהוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִיho.Di.'E.niH3045mine endקִצִּ֗יki.TziH7093,and the measureוּמִדַּ֣תu.mi.DatH4060of my daysיָמַ֣יya.MaiH3117, what it is; thatI may knowאֵ֝דְעָ֗ה'e.de.'AhH3045how frailחָדֵ֥לcha.DelH2310I am.

5Behold, thou hast madeנָ֘תַ֤תָּהna.Ta.tahH5414my daysH3117asan handbreadthטְפָח֨וֹת׀te.fa.ChotH2947;and mine ageוְחֶלְדִּ֣יve.chel.DiH2465isas nothing before thee: verily everyכָּֽל־kal-H3605manאָ֝דָ֗ם'a.DamH120at his best stateנִצָּ֥בni.TzavH5324isaltogetherכָּל־kol-H3605vanityהֶ֥בֶלHe.velH1892.Selahסֶֽלָה׃Se.lahH5542.

6Surely every manאִ֗ישׁ'IshH376walkethיִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־yit.ha.lekh-H1980in a vain shewבְּצֶ֤לֶם׀be.Tze.lemH6754:surely they are disquietedיֶהֱמָי֑וּןye.he.ma.YunH1993in vainH1892:he heapeth upיִ֝צְבֹּ֗רyitz.BorH6651riches,and knowethיֵדַ֥עye.Da'H3045not who shall gatherאֹסְפָֽם׃'o.se.FamH622them.

7And now, Lordאֲדֹנָ֑י'a.do.NaiH136,what waitקִּוִּ֣יתִיki.Vi.tiH6960I for? my hopeתּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗יto.chal.TiH8431is in thee.

8Deliverהַצִּילֵ֑נִיha.tzi.Le.niH5337me from all my transgressionsפְּשָׁעַ֥יpe.sha.'AiH6588:makeתְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃te.si.Me.niH7760me not the reproachחֶרְפַּ֥תcher.PatH2781of the foolishנָ֝בָ֗לna.ValH5036.

9I was dumbנֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּיNe.'e.lam.tiH481,I openedאֶפְתַּח־'ef.tach-H6605not my mouthפִּ֑יPiH6310;because thou didstעָשִֽׂיתָ׃'a.Si.taH6213it.

10Removeהָסֵ֣רha.SerH5493thy strokeנִגְעֶ֑ךָnig.'E.khaH5061awayH5493from me: I am consumedכָלִֽיתִי׃kha.Li.tiH3615by the blowמִתִּגְרַ֥תmi.tig.RatH8409of thine handיָ֝דְךָ֗ya.de.khaH3027.

11When thou with rebukesבְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹתbe.to.Kha.chotH8433dost correctיִסַּ֬רְתָּyi.Sar.taH3256manאִ֗ישׁ'IshH376for iniquityעָוֹ֨ן׀'a.VonH5771,thou makest his beautyחֲמוּד֑וֹcha.mu.DoH2530to consume awayוַתֶּ֣מֶסva.Te.mesH4529like a mothכָּעָ֣שׁka.'AshH6211:surely every manאָדָ֣ם'a.DamH120isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892.Selahסֶֽלָה׃Se.lahH5542.

12Hearשִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־shim.'Ah-H8085my prayerתְפִלָּתִ֨י׀te.fi.la.TiH8605,O Yhwhיְהוָ֡הYah.wehH3068,and give earהַאֲזִינָה֮ha.'a.zi.NahH238unto my cryוְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י׀ve.shav.'a.TiH7775;hold not thy peaceתֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁte.che.RashH2790at my tearsדִּמְעָתִ֗יdim.'a.TiH1832: for I ama strangerגֵ֣רgerH1616with thee, anda sojournerתּ֝וֹשָׁ֗בto.ShavH8453,as all my fathersאֲבוֹתָֽי׃'a.vo.TaiH1were.

13O spareהָשַׁ֣עha.Sha'H8159me, that I may recover strengthוְאַבְלִ֑יגָהve.'av.Li.gahH1082,before I go henceH3212, and be no more.

To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

Commentaries on Psalms 39