Psalm 39-41
Easy-to-Read Version
To the director, Jeduthun.[a] A song of David.
39 I said, “I will be careful about what I say.
I will not let my tongue cause me to sin.
I will keep my mouth closed[b]
when I am around wicked people.”
2 So I didn’t say anything.
I didn’t even say anything good,
but I became even more upset.
3 I was very angry,
and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
So I said something.
4 Lord, tell me, what will happen to me now?
Tell me, how long will I live?
Let me know how short my life really is.
5 You gave me only a short life.
Compared to you, my whole life is nothing.
The life of every human is like a cloud that quickly disappears. Selah
6 Our life is like an image in a mirror.[c]
We rush through life collecting things,
but we don’t know who will get them after we die.
7 So, Lord, what hope do I have?
You are my hope!
8 Save me from the bad things I did.
Don’t let me be treated like a fool.
9 I will not open my mouth.
I will not say anything.
You did what should have been done.
10 But please stop punishing me.
You will destroy me if you do not stop.
11 You punish people for doing wrong to teach them the right way to live.
As a moth destroys cloth, you destroy what people love.
Yes, our lives are like a small cloud that quickly disappears. Selah
12 Lord, hear my prayer!
Listen to the words I cry to you.
Look at my tears.
I am only a traveler passing through this life with you.
Like all my ancestors, I will live here only a short time.[d]
13 Leave me alone[e] and let me be happy
before I am dead and gone.
To the director: A song of David.
40 I called[f] to the Lord, and he heard me.
He heard my cries.
2 He lifted me out of the grave.[g]
He lifted me from that muddy place.[h]
He picked me up, put me on solid ground,
and kept my feet from slipping.
3 He put a new song[i] in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see what he did and worship him.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
4 Great blessings belong to those who trust in the Lord,
for those who do not turn to demons and false gods[j] for help.
5 Lord my God, you have done many amazing things!
You have made great plans for us—too many to list.
I could talk on and on about them,
because there are too many to count.
6 Lord, you made me understand this:[k]
You don’t really want sacrifices and grain offerings.
You don’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 So I said, “Here I am,
ready to do what was written about me in the book.
8 My God, I am happy to do whatever you want.
I never stop thinking about your teachings.”
9 I told the good news of victory[l] to the people in the great assembly.
And, Lord, you know that I will never stop telling that good news.
10 I told about the good things you did.
I did not hide these things in my heart.
I spoke of how you can be trusted to save us.
I did not hide your love and loyalty from those in the great assembly.
11 Lord, do not hide your mercy from me.
Let your love and loyalty always protect me.
12 Troubles have surrounded me.
They are too many to count!
My sins have caught me,
and I cannot escape them.
They are more than the hairs on my head.
I have lost my courage.
13 Please, Lord, rescue me!
Lord, hurry and help me!
14 People are trying to kill me.
Please disappoint them.
Humiliate them completely!
They wanted to hurt me.
Make them run away in shame!
15 May those who make fun of me
be too embarrassed to speak!
16 But may those who come to you be happy and rejoice.
May those who love being saved by you always be able to say, “Praise the Lord!”[m]
17 My Lord, I am only a poor, helpless man,
but please pay attention to me.
You are my helper, the one who can save me.
My God, don’t be too late.
To the director: A song of David.
41 Those who help the poor succeed will get many blessings.[n]
When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.
2 The Lord will protect them and save their lives.
He will bless them in this land.
He will not let their enemies harm them.
3 When they are sick in bed,
the Lord will give them strength and make them well!
4 I say, “Lord, be kind to me.
I sinned against you, but forgive me and make me well.”
5 My enemies say bad things about me.
They ask, “When will he die and be forgotten?”
6 If they come to see me,
they don’t say what they are really thinking.
They come to gather a little gossip
and then go to spread their rumors.
7 Those who hate me whisper about me.
They think the worst about me.
8 They say, “He did something wrong.
That is why he is sick.
He will never get well.”
9 My best friend, the one I trusted,
the one who ate with me—even he has turned against me.
10 Lord, please be kind to me.
Let me get up, and I will pay them back.
11 Don’t let my enemy defeat me.
Then I will know that you care for me.
12 I was innocent and you supported me.
You let me stand and serve you forever.
13 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel.
He always was, and he always will be.
Amen and Amen!
Footnotes
- Psalm 39:1 Psalm 39 Jeduthun Or “and to Jeduthun,” one of the three main temple musicians. See 1 Chron. 9:16; 16:38-42.
- Psalm 39:1 will keep … closed Literally, “guard my mouth with a muzzle.”
- Psalm 39:6 Our life … mirror Or “This life is not real—it is only a shadow” or “People wander around in the dark—not knowing what will happen.”
- Psalm 39:12 I will live … time Literally, “I am a settler.”
- Psalm 39:13 Leave me alone Or “Stop looking at me.”
- Psalm 40:1 called Or “waited patiently.”
- Psalm 40:2 grave Literally, “pit of destruction.” That is, “Sheol,” the place of death.
- Psalm 40:2 muddy place In many ancient stories, Sheol, the place of death, is a dark place with mud all around, like a grave.
- Psalm 40:3 new song Whenever God did a new and wonderful thing for his people, they would write a new song about it.
- Psalm 40:4 demons and false gods Or “proud and deceptive people.”
- Psalm 40:6 you made … this Literally, “you have dug my ears.” The ancient Greek version has “you prepared a body for me.”
- Psalm 40:9 victory Or “goodness” or “righteousness.”
- Psalm 40:16 Praise the Lord Literally, “The Lord is great” or “May the Lord be magnified.”
- Psalm 41:1 Or “Those who teach the poor will be very fortunate.”
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
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