Psalm 39 - New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

The Vanity of Life.

For the choir director, for [a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will (A)guard my ways
That I (B)may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard (C)my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was (D)mute [b]and silent,
I [c]refrained even from good,
And my [d]sorrow grew worse.
3 My (E)heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 Lord, make me to know (F)my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how (G)transient I am.
5 “Behold, You have made (H)my days as handbreadths,
And my (I)lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Surely every man [e]at his best is [f]a mere (J)breath. [g]Selah.
6 “Surely every man (K)walks about as [h]a phantom;
Surely they make an (L)uproar for nothing;
He (M)amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My (N)hope is in You.
8 (O)Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the (P)reproach of the foolish.
9 “I have become (Q)mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is (R)You who have done it.
10 (S)Remove Your plague from me;
Because of (T)the opposition of Your hand I am [i]perishing.
11 “With (U)reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;
You (V)consume as a moth what is precious to him;
Surely (W)every man is a mere breath. Selah.

12 (X)Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent (Y)at my tears;
For I am (Z)a stranger with You,
A (AA)sojourner like all my fathers.
13 (AB)Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may [j]smile again
Before I depart and am no more.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 1 Chr 16:41
  2. Psalm 39:2 Lit with silence
  3. Psalm 39:2 Lit kept silence
  4. Psalm 39:2 Lit pain
  5. Psalm 39:5 Lit standing firm
  6. Psalm 39:5 Or altogether vanity
  7. Psalm 39:5 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  8. Psalm 39:6 Lit an image
  9. Psalm 39:10 Or wasting away
  10. Psalm 39:13 Or become cheerful

Cross references

  1. Psalm 39:1 : 1 Kin 2:4; 2 Kin 10:31; Ps 119:9
  2. Psalm 39:1 : Job 2:10; Ps 34:13; James 3:5-12
  3. Psalm 39:1 : Ps 141:3; James 3:2
  4. Psalm 39:2 : Ps 38:13
  5. Psalm 39:3 : Ps 32:4; Jer 20:9; Luke 24:32
  6. Psalm 39:4 : Job 6:11; Ps 90:12; 119:84
  7. Psalm 39:4 : Ps 78:39; 103:14
  8. Psalm 39:5 : Ps 89:47
  9. Psalm 39:5 : Ps 144:4
  10. Psalm 39:5 : Job 14:2; Ps 62:9; Eccl 6:12
  11. Psalm 39:6 : 1 Cor 7:31; James 1:10, 11; 1 Pet 1:24
  12. Psalm 39:6 : Ps 127:2; Eccl 5:17
  13. Psalm 39:6 : Ps 49:10; Eccl 2:26; 5:14; Luke 12:20
  14. Psalm 39:7 : Ps 38:15
  15. Psalm 39:8 : Ps 51:9, 14; 79:9
  16. Psalm 39:8 : Ps 44:13; 79:4; 119:22
  17. Psalm 39:9 : Ps 39:2
  18. Psalm 39:9 : 2 Sam 16:10; Job 2:10
  19. Psalm 39:10 : Job 9:34; 13:21
  20. Psalm 39:10 : Ps 32:4
  21. Psalm 39:11 : Ezek 5:15; 2 Pet 2:16
  22. Psalm 39:11 : Job 13:28; Ps 90:7; Is 50:9
  23. Psalm 39:11 : Ps 39:5
  24. Psalm 39:12 : Ps 102:1; 143:1
  25. Psalm 39:12 : 2 Kin 20:5; Ps 56:8
  26. Psalm 39:12 : Lev 25:23; 1 Chr 29:15; Ps 119:19; Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11
  27. Psalm 39:12 : Gen 47:9
  28. Psalm 39:13 : Job 7:19; 10:20, 21; 14:6; Ps 102:24

You Might Also Like:

Psalm 39 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

39 To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. -- A Psalm of David. I have said, `I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked [is] before me.' 2 I was dumb [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited. 3 Hot [is] my heart within me, In my medi...
Read More

Psalm 39 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

39 For victory, to Jeduthun, the psalm of David. I said, I shall keep my ways; that I trespass not in my tongue. I setted keeping to my mouth; when a sinner stood against me. (To victory, to Jeduthun, the song of David. I said, I shall keep watch over my ways; so that I do not trespass with my tongu...
Read More

Psalm 39 - World English Bible (WEB)

For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.39 I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.3 My heart was hot within m...
Read More

Psalm 39 - The Voice (VOICE)

Psalm 39For the worship leader, Jeduthun.[a] A song of David.As an individual lament, Psalm 39 grieves over the brevity of life. The superscription recalls David’s appointment of Jeduthun as one of the tabernacle’s leading musicians (1 Chronicles 16:41–42).1 I promised, “I’ll be careful on life’s jo...
Read More

Psalm 39 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Make Me Know the Number of My DaysPsalm 391 For the music director, for Jeduthun, a psalm of David.2 I said:“I will guard my ways, so I will not sin with my tongue.I will muzzle my mouth while the wicked are before me.”3 So I became utterly speechless,kept silent even from good,but my anguish was st...
Read More

Psalm 39 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Prayer for Wisdom and ForgivenessTo the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.39 I said, “I will guard my ways,that I may not sin with my tongue;I will bridle[a] my mouth, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”2 I was dumb and silent, I held my peace to no avail;my distress grew worse,3 my...
Read More

Psalm 39 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Prayer for Wisdom and ForgivenessTo the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.39 I said, “I will guard my ways,that I may not sin with my tongue;I will bridle[a] my mouth, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”2 I was dumb and silent, I held my peace to no avail;my distress grew worse,3 my...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Psalm 39Prayer for Wisdom and ForgivenessTo the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.1 I said, “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue;I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.”2 I was silent and still; I held my peace to no avail;my distress grew wo...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Psalm 39Prayer for Wisdom and ForgivenessTo the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.1 I said, ‘I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue;I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.’2 I was silent and still; I held my peace to no avail;my distress grew wo...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Psalm 39Prayer for Wisdom and ForgivenessTo the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.1 I said, “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue;I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.”(A)2 I was silent and still; I held my peace to no avail;my distress grew...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 39For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.1 I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”2 But as I stood there in silence— not even speaking of good things— the turmoil within me grew worse.3 The more I th...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New Life Version (NLV)

Prayer of a Suffering Man39 I said, “I will watch my ways so I may not sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth shut as if it were tied with ropes, while the sinful are near me.” 2 I stayed quiet, not even saying anything good. And my sorrow grew worse. 3 My heart was hot within me. As I thought a...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Prayer for Wisdom and ForgivenessTo the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.39 I said, “I will guard my ways,Lest I sin with my (A)tongue;I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,While the wicked are before me.”2 (B)I was mute with silence,I held my peace even from good;And my sorrow was sti...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Psalm 39[a]For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.1 I said, ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin;I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.’2 So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good.But my anguish increased;3 my heart gre...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 39[a]For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.1 I said, “I will watch my ways(A) and keep my tongue from sin;(B)I will put a muzzle on my mouth(C) while in the presence of the wicked.”2 So I remained utterly silent,(D) not even saying anything good.But my anguish(E) increased;...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Psalm 39For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.1 I said, “I will be careful about how I live. I will not sin by what I say.I will keep my mouth closed when I am near sinful people.”2 So I was completely silent. I didn’t even say anything good. But the pain inside me grew worse.3 M...
Read More

Psalm 39 - New English Translation (NET)

Psalm 39[a]For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.39 I decided,[b] “I will watch what I sayand make sure I do not sin with my tongue.[c]I will put a muzzle over my mouthwhile in the presence of an evil person.”[d]2 I was stone silent;[e]I held back the urge to speak.[f]My frustration gre...
Read More