Psalm 39:7–13

6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—

but my ears you have opened—

burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—

it is written about me in the scroll.

8 I desire to do your will, my God;

your law is within my heart.”

9 I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;

I do not seal my lips, Lord,

as you know.

10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness

from the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;

may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

12 For troubles without number surround me;

my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart fails within me.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance

in the great congregation;

behold, I have not restrained my lips,

as you know, O Lord.

10 I have not hidden your deliverance 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.

11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain

your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will

ever preserve me!

12 For evils have encompassed me

beyond number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

and I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

my heart fails me.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;

Mine ears hast thou opened:

Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come:

In the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God:

Yea, thy law is within my heart.

9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation:

Lo, I have not refrained my lips,

O Lord, thou knowest.

10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;

I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:

I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord:

Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about:

Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up;

They are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.

Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—

you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.

7 Then I said, “Look, I have come.

As is written about me in the Scriptures:

8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,

for your instructions are written on my heart.”

9 I have told all your people about your justice.

I have not been afraid to speak out,

as you, O Lord, well know.

10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;

I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.

I have told everyone in the great assembly

of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

11 Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.

Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.

12 For troubles surround me—

too many to count!

My sins pile up so high

I can’t see my way out.

They outnumber the hairs on my head.

I have lost all courage.

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;

My ears You have opened.

Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,

And Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness

In the great assembly;

Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,

O Lord, You Yourself know.

10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth

From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;

Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;

They are more than the hairs of my head;

Therefore my heart fails me.

6 You do not want sacrifices and offerings.

But you have made a hole in my ear

to show that my body and life are yours.

You do not ask for burnt offerings

and sacrifices to take away sins.

7 Then I said, “Look, I have come.

It is written about me in the book.

8 My God, I want to do what you want.

Your teachings are in my heart.”

9 I will tell about your goodness in the great meeting of your people.

Lord, you know my lips are not silent.

10 I do not hide your goodness in my heart;

I speak about your loyalty and salvation.

I do not hide your love and truth

from the people in the great meeting.

11 Lord, do not hold back your mercy from me;

let your love and truth always protect me.

12 Troubles have surrounded me;

there are too many to count.

My sins have caught me

so that I cannot see a way to escape.

I have more sins than hairs on my head,

and I have lost my courage.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in;

Mine ears hast thou opened:

Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I am come;

In the roll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God;

Yea, thy law is within my heart.

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly;

Lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Jehovah, thou knowest.

10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;

I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation;

I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great assembly.

11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Jehovah;

Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about;

Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;

They are more than the hairs of my head;

And my heart hath failed me.

6 Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire: ears hast thou prepared me. Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not demanded; 7 Then said I, Behold, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me— 8 To do thy good pleasure, my God, is my delight, and thy law is within my heart. 9 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.

6 You were not pleased with sacrifices and offerings. 

You have dug out two ears for me. 

You did not ask for burnt offerings or sacrifices for sin. 

7 Then I said, “I have come! 

(It is written about me in the scroll of the book.) 

8 I am happy to do your will, O my God.” 

Your teachings are deep within me. 

9 I will announce the good news of righteousness 

among those assembled for worship. 

I will not close my lips. 

You know that, O Lord. 

10 I have not buried your righteousness deep in my heart. 

I have been outspoken about your faithfulness and your salvation. 

I have not hidden your mercy and your truth 

from those assembled for worship. 

11 Do not withhold your compassion from me, O Lord. 

May your mercy and your truth always protect me. 

12 Countless evils have surrounded me. 

My sins have caught up with me so that I can no longer see. 

They outnumber the hairs on my head. 

I have lost heart. 

6 You do not delight in sacrifice and offering;

You open my ears to listen.

You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.

7 Then I said, “See, I have come;

it is written about me in the volume of the scroll.

8 I delight to do Your will, my God;

Your instruction lives within me.”

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;

see, I do not keep my mouth closed —

as You know, Lord.

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.

11 Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me;

Your constant love and truth will always guard me.

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.

6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,

but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Here I am;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me.

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

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.

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.

11 Do not, O Lord, withhold

your mercy from me;

let your steadfast love and your faithfulness

keep me safe forever.

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.

6 A sacrifice and offering you do not desire.

My ears you have opened.

Burnt offering and sin offering you have not demanded.

7 Then I said, “Look, I come.

In the scroll of the book

it is written concerning me:

8 ‘I delight to do your will, O my God,

and your law is deep within me.’ ”

9 I have brought good tidings of righteousness in the great congregation.

Look, I have not shut my lips.

O Yahweh, you surely know that.

10 Your righteousness I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation.

I have not concealed your loyal love or your faithfulness

from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O Yahweh, do not withhold your mercies from me.

Let your loyal love and your faithfulness

continually preserve me.

12 For evils without number have encompassed me.

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart fails me.

6 You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings.

You weren’t pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings.

You gave me ears to hear you and obey you.

7 Then I said, “Here I am.

It is written about me in the scroll.

8 My God, I have come to do what you want.

Your law is in my heart.”

9 I have told the whole community of those who worship you

that what you do is right.

Lord, you know

that I haven’t kept quiet.

10 I haven’t kept to myself that what you did for me was right.

I have spoken about how faithful you were when you saved me.

I haven’t hidden your love and truth

from the whole community.

11 Lord, don’t hold back your mercy from me.

May your love and truth always keep me safe.

12 There are more troubles all around me than I can count.

My sins have caught up with me, and I can’t see any longer.

My sins are more than the hairs of my head.

I have lost all hope.

6 Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;

My ears You have opened;

Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

8 I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;

Behold, I will not restrain my lips,

O Lord, You know.

10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

11 You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;

Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

12 For evils beyond number have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;

They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,

And my heart has failed me.