1 Psalm 39 Yahweh, Make Me Know My End For the choir director. For 39:01 Chr 16:41 Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.I said, “I will keep watchovermy waysThat I may not sin with my tongue;I will keep watchovermy mouth as with a muzzleWhile the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute with silence,Ievenkept silent fromspeakinggood,And my anguish grew worse.
3 My heart was hot within me,While I meditated the fire was burning;ThenI spoke with my tongue:
4 “Yahweh, cause me to know my endAnd what is the extent of my days;Let me know how transient I am.
5 “Behold, You have made my daysas 39:5A handbreadth was approx. 3 in. or7.6cm handbreadths,And my lifetime as nothing before You;Surely every man,evenstanding firm, is 39:5Or mere breath altogether vanity. 39:5Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude Selah.
6 “Surely every man walks about as 39:6Lit an image a shadow;Surely they make an uproar in vain;He piles uprichesand does not know who will gather them.
7 ¶“And now, Lord, what do I hope in?My expectation is in You.
8 “Deliver me from all my transgressions;Make me not the reproach of the wicked fool.
9 “I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,Because it is You who have doneit.
10 “Remove Your plague from me;Because of the opposition of Your hand I am wasting away.
11 “With reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;You consume as a moth what is precious to him;Surely every man is vanity.Selah.
12 ¶“Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and give ear to my cry for help;Do not be silent at my tears;For I am a sojourner with You,A foreign resident like all my fathers.
13 “Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may 39:13Or become cheerful smileagainBefore I go and am no more.”