Psalm 39 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Futility of Life.

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

39 I said, “I will (A)keep watch over my ways
So that I (B)do not sin with my tongue;
I will keep watch over (C)my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was (D)mute [b]and silent,
I [c]refused to say even something good,
And my pain was stirred up.
3 My (E)heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, let me 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 like [d]hand widths,
And my (I)lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Certainly all mankind standing is [e]a mere (J)breath. Selah
6 Certainly every person (K)walks around as [f]a fleeting shadow;
They certainly 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)Save me from all my wrongdoings;
Do not make me an object of (P)reproach for 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 [g]perishing.
11 With (U)rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing;
You (V)consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Certainly (W)all mankind is mere breath! Selah

12 “(X)Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help;
Do not be silent (Y)to my tears;
For I am (Z)a stranger with You,
(AA)One who lives abroad, like all my fathers.
13 (AB)Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again
Before I depart and am no more.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39 Title 1 Chr 16:41
  2. Psalm 39:2 Lit with silence
  3. Psalm 39:2 Lit was silent from good
  4. Psalm 39:5 I.e., short
  5. Psalm 39:5 Or altogether breath
  6. Psalm 39:6 Lit an image
  7. Psalm 39:10 Or wasting away

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

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