Psalm 39–41

Psalm 39

The Fleeting Nature of Life

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

¹I 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.” ^j

²I was speechless and quiet;

I kept silent, even from speaking good,

and my pain intensified. ^k

³My heart grew hot within me;

as I mused, a fire burned. ^l

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. ^m

⁵You, 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. ⁿSelah

⁶“Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.

Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,

gathering possessions

without knowing who will get them. ^o

⁷Now, Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in You. ^p

⁸Deliver me from all my transgressions;

do not make me the taunt of fools. ^q

⁹I am speechless; I do not open my mouth

because of what You have done. ^r

¹⁰Remove Your torment from me;

I fade away because of the force of Your hand. ^s

¹¹You discipline a man with punishment for sin,

consuming like a moth what is precious to him; ^t

every man is only a vapor. ^uSelah

¹²“Hear my prayer, Lord,

and listen to my cry for help;

do not be silent at my tears. ^v

For I am a foreigner residing with You,

a temporary resident like all my fathers. ^w

¹³Turn Your angry gaze from me

so that I may be cheered up

before I die and am gone.” ^x

Psalm 40

Thanksgiving and a Cry for Help

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

¹I waited patiently for the Lord,

and He turned to me and heard my cry for help. ^y

²He brought me up from a desolate ^zpit,

out of the muddy clay, ^a

and set my feet on a rock,

making my steps secure. ^b

³He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God. ^c

Many will see and fear

and put their trust in the Lord. ^d

⁴How 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! ^e

⁵Lord 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. ^f

⁶You do not delight in sacrifice and offering;

You open my ears to listen. ^g

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

⁷Then I said, “See, I have come;

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

⁸I delight to do Your will, my God; ^j

Your instruction lives within me.” ^kl

⁹I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;

see, I do not keep my mouth closed ^m—

as You know, Lord. ⁿ

¹⁰I 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. ^o

¹¹Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me;

Your constant love and truth will always guard me. ^p

¹²For 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. ^q

¹³Lord, be pleased to deliver me;

hurry to help me, Lord. ^r

¹⁴Let those who seek to take my life

be disgraced and confounded.

Let those who wish me harm

be driven back and humiliated. ^s

¹⁵Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

be horrified because of their shame. ^t

¹⁶Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

let those who love Your salvation continually say,

“The Lord is great!” ^u

¹⁷I am afflicted and needy;

the Lord thinks of me.

You are my helper and my deliverer;

my God, do not delay. ^v

Psalm 41

Victory in Spite of Betrayal

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

¹Happy is one who cares for the poor;

the Lord will save him in a day of adversity. ^w

²The Lord will keep him and preserve him;

he will be blessed in the land. ^x

You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies. ^y

³The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed;

You will heal him on the bed where he lies. ^z

⁴I said, “Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against You.” ^a

⁵My enemies speak maliciously about me:

“When will he die and be forgotten?” ^b

⁶When one of them comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully;

he stores up evil in his heart;

he goes out and talks. ^c

⁷All who hate me whisper together about me;

they plan to harm me. ^d

⁸“Lethal poison has been poured into him,

and he won’t rise again from where he lies!” ^e

⁹Even my friend ^fin whom I trusted,

one who ate my bread,

has raised his heel against me. ^g

¹⁰But You, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up;

then I will repay them. ^h

¹¹By this I know that You delight in me: ⁱ

my enemy does not shout in triumph over me. ^j

¹²You supported me because of my integrity ^k

and set me in Your presence forever. ^l

¹³May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and amen. ^m