Tyndale Open Study NotesPsalms 39

This prayer for rescue shows the psalmist's discouragement, which comes from not fully understanding his situation.

Suffering in silence makes the psalmist's anguish, pain, and inner distress worse.

Jeduthun was a Levitical singer who was appointed by David, along with Asaph (1 Chronicles 9:16; 16:38; 25:1).

how fleeting my life is: This perspective comes out of suffering (see Psalms 78:39; 89:47–48; 90:3–10). The human lifetime is but a moment to God (Psalm 90:4), as temporary as a breath (see Psalms 39:11; 144:4).

Due to his suffering and sin, the psalmist concludes that life is meaningless and short (see Job 7:7–10; Isaiah 40:6–8). He had expected only a wicked life to be like that (see Psalms 37:2, 20; 103:15–16), but now it seems irrelevant whether a person is godly or not.

The idea that rebellion leads to suffering is a common theme in Psalms 32, 38–41.

The psalmist links suffering with God’s discipline, assuming that it is punishment for his sin.

The Lord uses discipline to correct his children (Psalms 38:1, 3, 7; 40:12; see Proverbs 3:11–12; Hebrews 12:5–6).

A foreigner could not own land (see Leviticus 25:23). The patriarchs had lived as guests in Canaan (Psalm 105:23).

Earlier, the psalmist asked God to stay close to him (Psalm 8:21–22). Now, he wants God to leave him alone. This is similar to how Job felt (Job 7:17–19).