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To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked is before me.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

My heart burned within me; the fire was kindled in my musing: I spoke with my tongue,

Make me to know, Jehovah, mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: I shall know how frail I am.

Behold, thou hast made my days [as] hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, [even] the high placed, is altogether vanity. Selah.

Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.

And now, what wait I for, Lord? my hope is in thee.

Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish.

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; for *thou* hast done [it].

10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.

11 When thou with rebukes dost correct a man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely, every man is vanity. Selah.

12 Hear my prayer, Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; be not silent at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, like all my fathers.

13 Look away from me, and let me recover strength, before I go hence and be no more.

To the chief Musician. Of David. A Psalm.

40 I waited patiently for Jehovah; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

And he brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock; he hath established my goings:

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, praise unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall confide in Jehovah.

Blessed is the man that hath made Jehovah his confidence, and turneth not to the proud, and to such as turn aside to lies.

Thou, O Jehovah my God, hast multiplied thy marvellous works, and thy thoughts toward us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; would I declare and speak [them], they are more than can be numbered.

Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire: ears hast thou prepared me. Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not demanded;

Then said I, Behold, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me—

To do thy good pleasure, my God, is my delight, and thy law is within my heart.

I have published righteousness in the great congregation: behold, I have not withheld my lips, Jehovah, *thou* knowest.

10 I have not hidden thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

11 Withhold not thou, Jehovah, thy tender mercies from me; let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head: and my heart hath failed me.

13 Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me; Jehovah, make haste to my help.

14 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be turned backward and confounded that take pleasure in mine adversity;

15 Let them be desolate, because of their shame, that say unto me, Aha! Aha!

16 Let all those that seek thee be glad and rejoice in thee; let such as love thy salvation say continually, Jehovah be magnified!

17 But I am afflicted and needy: the Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and my deliverer: my God, make no delay.

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

41 Blessed is he that understandeth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.

Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive; he shall be made happy in the land; and thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

Jehovah will sustain him upon the bed of languishing: thou turnest all his bed in his sickness.

As for me, I said, Jehovah, be gracious unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

Mine enemies wish me evil: When will he die, and his name perish?

And if one come to see [me], he speaketh falsehood; his heart gathereth wickedness to itself: he goeth abroad, he telleth [it].

All that hate me whisper together against me; against me do they devise my hurt.

A thing of Belial cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he is laid down, he will rise up no more.

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I confided, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up [his] heel against me.

10 But thou, Jehovah, be gracious unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

11 By this I know that thou delightest in me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

12 But as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity! Amen, and Amen.

Psalm 39[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

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.”
So I remained utterly silent,(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(E) increased;
    my heart grew hot(F) within me.
While I meditated,(G) the fire(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;(I)
    let me know how fleeting(J) my life is.(K)
You have made my days(L) a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,(M)
    even those who seem secure.[b]

“Surely everyone goes around(N) like a mere phantom;(O)
    in vain they rush about,(P) heaping up wealth(Q)
    without knowing whose it will finally be.(R)

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.(S)
Save me(T) from all my transgressions;(U)
    do not make me the scorn(V) of fools.
I was silent;(W) I would not open my mouth,(X)
    for you are the one who has done this.(Y)
10 Remove your scourge from me;
    I am overcome by the blow(Z) of your hand.(AA)
11 When you rebuke(AB) and discipline(AC) anyone for their sin,
    you consume(AD) their wealth like a moth(AE)
    surely everyone is but a breath.(AF)

12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for help;(AG)
    do not be deaf(AH) to my weeping.(AI)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,(AJ)
    a stranger,(AK) as all my ancestors were.(AL)
13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”(AM)

Psalm 40[c](AN)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

I waited patiently(AO) for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.(AP)
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,(AQ)
    out of the mud(AR) and mire;(AS)
he set my feet(AT) on a rock(AU)
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song(AV) in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord(AW)
    and put their trust(AX) in him.

Blessed is the one(AY)
    who trusts in the Lord,(AZ)
who does not look to the proud,(BA)
    to those who turn aside to false gods.[d](BB)
Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders(BC) you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare(BD) with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many(BE) to declare.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—(BF)
    but my ears you have opened[e](BG)
    burnt offerings(BH) and sin offerings[f] you did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.[g](BI)
I desire to do your will,(BJ) my God;(BK)
    your law is within my heart.”(BL)

I proclaim your saving acts(BM) in the great assembly;(BN)
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.(BO)
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness(BP) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.(BQ)

11 Do not withhold your mercy(BR) from me, Lord;
    may your love(BS) and faithfulness(BT) always protect(BU) me.
12 For troubles(BV) without number surround me;
    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.(BW)
They are more than the hairs of my head,(BX)
    and my heart fails(BY) within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.(BZ)

14 May all who want to take my life(CA)
    be put to shame and confusion;(CB)
may all who desire my ruin(CC)
    be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(CD)
    be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you(CE)
    rejoice and be glad(CF) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”(CG)

17 But as for me, I am poor and needy;(CH)
    may the Lord think(CI) of me.
You are my help(CJ) and my deliverer;(CK)
    you are my God, do not delay.(CL)

Psalm 41[h]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Blessed(CM) are those who have regard for the weak;(CN)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.(CO)
The Lord protects(CP) and preserves them—(CQ)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—(CR)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.(CS)
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed(CT)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.(CU)

I said, “Have mercy(CV) on me, Lord;
    heal(CW) me, for I have sinned(CX) against you.”
My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?(CY)
When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely,(CZ) while his heart gathers slander;(DA)
    then he goes out and spreads(DB) it around.

All my enemies whisper together(DC) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up(DD) from the place where he lies.”
Even my close friend,(DE)
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned[i] against me.(DF)

10 But may you have mercy(DG) on me, Lord;
    raise me up,(DH) that I may repay(DI) them.
11 I know that you are pleased with me,(DJ)
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.(DK)
12 Because of my integrity(DL) you uphold me(DM)
    and set me in your presence forever.(DN)

13 Praise(DO) be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(DP)
    from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.(DQ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
  2. Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.
  3. Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
  4. Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
  5. Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
  6. Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
  7. Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me
  8. Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
  9. Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel