Psalms 39-40
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 39
1 I said, 'I will keep watch over my ways So that I do not sin with my tongue; I will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.' 2I was mute and silent, I refused to say even something good, And my pain was stirred up. 3My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue: 4'Lord, let me know my end, And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. 5Behold, You have made my days like hand widths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Certainly all mankind standing is a mere breath. Selah 6Certainly every person walks around as a fleeting shadow; They certainly make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. 7'And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You. 8Save me from all my wrongdoings; Do not make me an object of reproach for the foolish. 9I have become mute, I do not open my mouth, Because it is You who have done it. 10Remove Your plague from me; Because of the opposition of Your hand I am perishing. 11With rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing; You consume like a moth what is precious to him; Certainly all mankind is mere breath! Selah 12'Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help; Do not be silent to my tears; For I am a stranger with You, One who lives abroad, like all my fathers. 13Turn Your eyes away from me, that I may become cheerful again Before I depart and am no more.'Chapter 40
1I waited patiently for the Lord; And He reached down to me and heard my cry. 2He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm. 3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the Lord. 4How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who become involved in falsehood. 5Many, Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is no one to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. 6You have not desired sacrifice and meal offering; You have opened my ears; You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. 7Then I said, 'Behold, I have come; It is written of me in the scroll of the book. 8I delight to do Your will, my God; Your Law is within my heart.' 9I have proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, Lord, You know. 10I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation. 11You, Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me. 12For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My guilty deeds have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me. 13Be pleased, Lord, to rescue me; Hurry, Lord, to help me. 14May those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; May those be turned back and dishonored Who delight in my hurt. 15May those be appalled because of their shame Who say to me, 'Aha, aha!' 16May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; May those who love Your salvation continually say, 'The Lord be exalted!' 17But I am afflicted and needy; May the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my savior; Do not delay, my God.King James Version
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 39
1For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, "I will guard my ways so that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are in my presence." 2I was speechless and quiet; I kept silent, even from speaking good, and my pain intensified. 3My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, a fire burned. I spoke with my tongue: 4"Lord, make me aware of my end and the number of my days so that I will know how short-lived I am.
6Yes, a person goes about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them.
7"Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
8Rescue me from all my transgressions; do not make me the taunt of fools.
9I am speechless; I do not open my mouth because of what you have done.
10Remove your torment from me. Because of the force of your hand I am finished.
11You discipline a person with punishment for iniquity, consuming like a moth what is precious to him; yes, every human being is only a vapor. Selah
12"Hear my prayer, Lord, and listen to my cry for help; do not be silent at my tears. For I am here with you as an alien, a temporary resident like all my ancestors.
13Turn your angry gaze from me so that I may be cheered up before I die and am gone."
Chapter 40
1For the choir director. A psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he turned to me and heard my cry for help. 2He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.
3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.
4How happy is anyone who has put his trust in the Lord and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies!
5 Lord my God, you have done many things— your wondrous works and your plans for us; none can compare with you. If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.
6You do not delight in sacrifice and offering; you open my ears to listen. You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.
7Then I said, "See, I have come; in the scroll it is written about me.
8I delight to do your will, my God, and your instruction is deep within me."
9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; see, I do not keep my mouth closed — as you know, Lord.
10I did not hide your righteousness in my heart; I spoke about your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal your constant love and truth from the great assembly.
11 Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. Your constant love and truth will always guard me.
12For troubles without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me.
13 Lord, be pleased to rescue me; hurry to help me, Lord.
14Let those who intend to take my life be disgraced and confounded. Let those who wish me harm be turned back and humiliated.
15Let those who say to me, "Aha, aha!" be appalled because of their shame.
16Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation continually say, "The Lord is great!"
17I am oppressed and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and my deliverer; my God, do not delay.
New Living Translation
Chapter 39
1I 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.' 2But as I stood there in silence — not even speaking of good things — the turmoil within me grew worse. 3The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words: 4'Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is.
6We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
7And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
8Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me.
9I am silent before you; I won’t say a word, for my punishment is from you.
10But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
12Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest — a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me.
13Leave me alone so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more.
Chapter 40
1I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.
4Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.
5O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
6You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand — you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
7Then I said, 'Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures:
8I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.'
9I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know.
10I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.
11Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
12For troubles surround me — too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage.
English Standard Version
Chapter 39
1 I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence." 2I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. 3My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 4"O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 6Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12 "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!"Chapter 40
1I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. 4Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! 5You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. 6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." 9I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. 10I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. 11As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! 12For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. 13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! 14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! 15Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!" 16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the Lord!" 17As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!New International Version
Chapter 39
1For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. 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." 2So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;
3my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
4"Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.
6"Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.
7"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
8Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.
9I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.
10Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
11When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth— surely everyone is but a breath.
12"Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.
13Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again before I depart and am no more."
Chapter 40
1For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
4Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
5Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.
6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened — burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7Then I said, "Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.
8I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart."
9I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know.
10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.
11Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.
New King James Version
Chapter 39
1{To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.} I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.” 2 I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up. 3My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: 4“Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am.
6Surely 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 hope is in You.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it.
10 Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
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, as all my fathers were.
13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more.”
