1 Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my Job 2:10; Ps. 34:13; (James 3:5–12) tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.”
2 Ps. 38:13 I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “ Lord , Ps. 90:12; 119:84 make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but Ps. 62:9; (Eccl. 6:12) vapor. Selah
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.
7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My Ps. 38:15 hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me Ps. 44:13; 79:4; 119:22 the reproach of the foolish.
9 Ps. 39:2 I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was 2 Sam. 16:10; Job 2:10 You who did it.
10 Job 9:34; 13:21 Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty Job 13:28; (Ps. 90:7); Is. 50:9 melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord , And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, Gen. 47:9; Lev. 25:23;1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 119:19; Heb. 11:13;1 Pet. 2:11 as all my fathers were.
13 Job 7:19; 10:20, 21; 14:6; Ps. 102:24 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and (Job 14:10) am no more.”