To the director of Je·du′thun.*+ A melody of David.

39 I said: “I will guard my ways+

To keep from sinning with my tongue.+

I will set a muzzle as a guard to my own mouth,+

As long as anyone wicked is in front of me.”+

 ² I became speechless with silence;+

I kept quiet from what is good,+

And my being pained was ostracized.

 ³ My heart grew hot inside me;+

During my sighing the fire kept burning.

I spoke with my tongue:

 ⁴ “Cause me, O Jehovah, to know my end,+

And the measure of my days—what it is,+

That I may know how transient I am.+

 ⁵ Look! You have made my days just a few;*+

And my life’s duration is as nothing in front of you.+

Surely every earthling man,* though standing firm, is nothing but an exhalation.+ Se′lah.

 ⁶ Surely in a semblance man* walks about.+

Surely they are boisterous in vain.+

One piles up things and does not know who will be gathering them.+

 ⁷ And now for what have I hoped, O Jehovah?*

My expectation is toward you.+

 ⁸ From all my transgressions deliver me.+

Do not set me as a reproach of the senseless one.+

 ⁹ I kept speechless;+ I could not open my mouth,+

For you yourself acted.+

¹⁰ Remove from off me your plague.+

Due to the hostility of your hand I myself have come to an end.+

¹¹ By reproofs against error you have corrected man,*+

And you consume his desirable things just as a moth+ does.

Surely every earthling man* is an exhalation.+ Se′lah.

¹² Do hear my prayer, O Jehovah,

And to my cry for help do give ear.+

At my tears do not keep silent.+

For I am but an alien resident with you,+

A settler the same as all my forefathers.+

¹³ Look away from me, that I may brighten up+

Before I go away and I am not.”+