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Psalm 39-41
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 39-41
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 39
Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness
To the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will keep a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence.”(A)
2 I was silent and still;
I held my peace to no avail;
my distress grew worse;(B)
3 my heart became hot within me.
While I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, let me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.(C)
5 You have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight.
Surely everyone stands as a mere breath. Selah(D)
6 Surely everyone goes about like a shadow.
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
they heap up and do not know who will gather.(E)
7 “And now, O Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in you.(F)
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool.(G)
9 I am silent; I do not open my mouth,
for it is you who have done it.(H)
10 Remove your stroke from me;
I am worn down by the blows[a] of your hand.(I)
11 “You chastise mortals
in punishment for sin,
consuming like a moth what is dear to them;
surely everyone is a mere breath. Selah(J)
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
do not hold your peace at my tears.
For I am your passing guest,
an alien, like all my forebears.(K)
13 Turn your gaze away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more.”(L)
Psalm 40
Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.(M)
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit,[b]
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.(N)
3 He 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.(O)
4 Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.(P)
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.(Q)
6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.[c]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.(R)
7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.[d]
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”(S)
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.(T)
10 I have not hidden your saving help 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.(U)
11 Do not, O Lord, withhold
your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
keep me safe forever.(V)
12 For evils have encompassed me
without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me
until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.(W)
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.(X)
14 Let all those be put to shame and confusion
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt.(Y)
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”(Z)
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”(AA)
17 As 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.(AB)
Psalm 41
Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 Happy are those who consider the poor;[e]
the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.(AC)
2 The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
they are called happy in the land.
You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.(AD)
3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;
in their illness you heal all their infirmities.[f](AE)
4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”(AF)
5 My enemies wonder in malice
when I will die and my name perish.(AG)
6 And when they come to see me, they utter empty words
while their hearts gather mischief;
when they go out, they tell it abroad.(AH)
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.(AI)
8 They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,
that I will not rise again from where I lie.(AJ)
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.(AK)
10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them.(AL)
11 By this I know that you are pleased with me:
because my enemy has not triumphed over me.(AM)
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity
and set me in your presence forever.(AN)
13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.(AO)
Psalm 39-41
New International Version
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)
Footnotes
- Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
- Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.
- Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
- Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
- Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
- Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me
- Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
- Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.