39 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. Set in the style of Y’dutun. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) I said, “I will watch how I behave,
so that I won’t sin with my tongue;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
whenever the wicked confront me.”

^3 (2) I was silent, said nothing, not even good;
but my pain kept being stirred up.
^4 (3) My heart grew hot within me;
whenever I thought of it, the fire burned.
Then, [at last,] I let my tongue speak:

^5 (4) “Make me grasp, Adonai, what my end must be,
what it means that my days are numbered;
let me know what a transient creature I am.
^6 (5) You have made my days like handbreadths;
for you, the length of my life is like nothing.”

Yes, everyone, no matter how firmly he stands,
is merely a puff of wind. (Selah)
^7 (6) Humans go about like shadows;
their turmoil is all for nothing.
They accumulate wealth, not knowing
who will enjoy its benefits.

^8 (7) Now, Adonai, what am I waiting for?
You are my only hope.
^9 (8) Rescue me from all my transgressions;
don’t make me the butt of fools.
^10 (9) I am silent, I keep my mouth shut,
because it is you who have done it.

^11 (10) Stop raining blows on me;
the pounding of your fist is wearing me down.
^12 (11) With rebukes you discipline people for their guilt;
like a moth, you destroy what makes them attractive;
yes, everyone is merely a puff of wind. (Selah)

^13 (12) Hear my prayer, Adonai, listen to my cry,
don’t be deaf to my weeping;
for with you, I am just a traveler
passing through, like all my ancestors.
^14 (13) Turn your gaze from me, so I can smile again
before I depart and cease to exist.

40 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) I waited patiently for Adonai,
till he turned toward me and heard my cry.
^3 (2) He brought me up from the roaring pit,
up from the muddy ooze,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my footing firm.
^4 (3) He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will look on in awe
and put their trust in Adonai.

^5 (4) How blessed the man who trusts in Adonai
and does not look to the arrogant
or to those who rely on things that are false.

^6 (5) How much you have done, Adonai my God!
Your wonders and your thoughts toward us —
none can compare with you!
I would proclaim them, I would speak about them;
but there’s too much to tell!

^7 (6) Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t want;
burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand.
Instead, you have given me open ears;
^8 (7) so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming!
In the scroll of a book it is written about me.
^9 (8) Doing your will, my God, is my joy;
your Torah is in my inmost being.
^10 (9) I have proclaimed what is right in the great assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, Adonai, as you know.
^11 (10) I did not hide your righteousness in my heart
but declared your faithfulness and salvation;
I did not conceal your grace and truth
from the great assembly.”

^12 (11) Adonai, don’t withhold your mercy from me.
Let your grace and truth preserve me always.
^13 (12) For numberless evils surround me;
my iniquities engulf me — I can’t even see;
there are more of them than hairs on my head,
so that my courage fails me.
^14 (13) Be pleased, Adonai, to rescue me!
Adonai, hurry and help me!
^15 (14) May those who seek to sweep me away
be disgraced and humiliated together.
May those who take pleasure in doing me harm
be turned back and put to confusion.
^16 (15) May those who jeer at me, “Aha! Aha!”
be aghast because of their shame.

^17 (16) But may all those who seek you
be glad and take joy in you.
May those who love your salvation say always,
“Adonai is great and glorious!”

^18 (17) But I am poor and needy;
may Adonai think of me.
You are my helper and rescuer;
my God, don’t delay!

41 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) How blessed are those who care for the poor!
When calamity comes, Adonai will save them.
^3 (2) Adonai will preserve them, keep them alive,
and make them happy in the land.
You will not hand them over
to the whims of their enemies.
^4 (3) Adonai sustains them on their sickbed;
when they lie ill, you make them recover.
^5 (4) I said, “Adonai, have pity on me!
Heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
^6 (5) My enemies say the worst about me:
“When will he die and his name disappear?”
^7 (6) When they come to see me they speak insincerely,
their hearts meanwhile gathering falsehoods;
then they go out and spread bad reports.
^8 (7) All who hate me whisper together against me,
imagining the worst about me.
^9 (8) “A fatal disease has attached itself to him;
now that he lies ill, he will never get up.”
^10 (9) Even my close friend, on whom I relied,
who shared my table, has turned against me.

^11 (10) But you, Adonai, have pity on me,
put me on my feet, so I can pay them back.
^12 (11) I will know you are pleased with me
if my enemy doesn’t defeat me.
^13 (12) You uphold me because of my innocence
you establish me in your presence forever.

^14 (13) Blessed be Adonai the God of Isra’el
from eternity past to eternity future.

Amen. Amen.