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Psalm 39-41
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Psalm 39

The Fleeting Nature of Life

For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Davidic psalm.

1 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.”(A)
2 I was speechless and quiet;
I kept silent, even from speaking good,
and my pain intensified.(B)
3 My heart grew hot within me;
as I mused, a fire burned.(C)
I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, reveal to me the end of my life
and the number of my days.
Let me know how short-lived I am.(D)
5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length,
and my life span as nothing in Your sight.
Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.(E)Selah

6 “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.(F)
7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.(G)
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the taunt of fools.(H)
9 I am speechless; I do not open my mouth
because of what You have done.(I)
10 Remove Your torment from me;
I fade away because of the force of Your hand.(J)
11 You discipline a man with punishment for sin,
consuming like a moth what is precious to him;(K)
every man is only a vapor.(L)Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,
and listen to my cry for help;
do not be silent at my tears.(M)
For I am a foreigner residing with You,
a temporary resident like all my fathers.(N)
13 Turn Your angry gaze from me
so that I may be cheered up
before I die and am gone.”(O)

Psalm 40

Thanksgiving and a Cry for Help

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord,
and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.(P)
2 He brought me up from a desolate[a] pit,
out of the muddy clay,(Q)
and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.(R)
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.(S)
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.(T)

4 How happy is the man
who has put his trust in the Lord
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies!(U)
5 Lord my God, You have done many things—
Your wonderful 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.(V)

6 You do not delight in sacrifice and offering;
You open my ears to listen.[b]
You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.(W)
7 Then I said, “See, I have come;
it is written about me in the volume of the scroll.(X)
8 I delight to do Your will, my God;(Y)
Your instruction lives within me.”[c](Z)

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
see, I do not keep my mouth closed[d]—
as You know, Lord.(AA)
10 I 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.(AB)

11 Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me;
Your constant love and truth will always guard me.(AC)
12 For troubles without number have surrounded me;
my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my courage leaves me.(AD)
13 Lord, be pleased to deliver me;
hurry to help me, Lord.(AE)

14 Let those who seek to take my life
be disgraced and confounded.
Let those who wish me harm
be driven back and humiliated.(AF)
15 Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
be horrified because of their shame.(AG)

16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
let those who love Your salvation continually say,
“The Lord is great!”(AH)
17 I am afflicted and needy;
the Lord thinks of me.
You are my helper and my deliverer;
my God, do not delay.(AI)

Psalm 41

Victory in Spite of Betrayal

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 Happy is one who cares for the poor;
the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.(AJ)
2 The Lord will keep him and preserve him;
he will be blessed in the land.(AK)
You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies.(AL)
3 The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed;
You will heal him on the bed where he lies.(AM)

4 I said, “Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against You.”(AN)
5 My enemies speak maliciously about me:
“When will he die and be forgotten?”(AO)
6 When one of them comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully;
he stores up evil in his heart;
he goes out and talks.(AP)
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they plan to harm me.(AQ)
8 “Lethal poison has been poured into him,
and he won’t rise again from where he lies!”(AR)
9 Even my friend[e] in whom I trusted,
one who ate my bread,
has raised his heel against me.(AS)

10 But You, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up;
then I will repay them.(AT)
11 By this I know that You delight in me:(AU)
my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.(AV)
12 You supported me because of my integrity(AW)
and set me in Your presence forever.(AX)

13 May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and amen.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 40:2 Or watery
  2. Psalm 40:6 Lit You hollow out ears for me
  3. Psalm 40:8 Lit instruction within my inner being
  4. Psalm 40:9 Lit not restrain my lips
  5. Psalm 41:9 Lit Even a man of my peace
Listen to Psalm 39-41
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Psalm 39-41
New International Version

Psalm 39[a]

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

1 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.”
2 So I remained utterly silent,(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(E) increased;
3     my heart grew hot(F) within me.
While I meditated,(G) the fire(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;(I)
    let me know how fleeting(J) my life is.(K)
5 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]

6 “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)

7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.(S)
8 Save me(T) from all my transgressions;(U)
    do not make me the scorn(V) of fools.
9 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.

1 I waited patiently(AO) for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.(AP)
2 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.
3 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.

4 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)
5 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.

6 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.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.[g](BI)
8 I desire to do your will,(BJ) my God;(BK)
    your law is within my heart.”(BL)

9 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.

1 Blessed(CM) are those who have regard for the weak;(CN)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.(CO)
2 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)
3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed(CT)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.(CU)

4 I said, “Have mercy(CV) on me, Lord;
    heal(CW) me, for I have sinned(CX) against you.”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?(CY)”
6 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.

7 All my enemies whisper together(DC) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8 “A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up(DD) from the place where he lies.”
9 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
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Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

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