Psalm 39, side by side

¹For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

¹I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

²I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.

²I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

³My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

³My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

⁴“Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.

⁴LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

⁵You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah

⁵Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

⁶Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

⁶Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

⁷And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.

⁷And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

⁸Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.

⁸Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

⁹I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.

⁹I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

¹⁰Remove Your scourge from me; I am perishing by the force of Your hand.

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

¹¹You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor. Selah

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

¹²Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. For I am a foreigner dwelling with You, a stranger like all my fathers.

¹²Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

¹³Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may again be cheered before I depart and am no more.”

¹³O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.