Psalms 39:2-1953 kjv — I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while…

“I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned; Then spake I with my tongue: Jehovah, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my daysas handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. [Selah Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. [Selah Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more. ”

“I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue: "Yahweh, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am. Behold, you have made my days handbreadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath." Selah. "Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather. Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don't make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute. I didn't open my mouth, because you did it. Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand. When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, You consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath." Selah. "Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry. Don't be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were. Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more." For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.”

“I was stone silent; I held back the urge to speak. My frustration grew; my anxiety intensified. As I thought about it, I became impatient. Finally I spoke these words: “O LORD, help me understand my mortality and the brevity of life! Let me realize how quickly my life will pass! Look, you make my days short-lived, and my life span is nothing from your perspective. Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.(Selah) Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying? You are my only hope! Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion! Do not make me the object of fools’ insults! I am silent and cannot open my mouth because of what you have done. Please stop wounding me! You have almost beaten me to death! You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor.(Selah) Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my cry for help! Do not ignore my sobbing! For I am a foreign resident with you, a temporary settler, just as all my ancestors were. Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy before I pass away.”

“With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me. And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps. And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many shall see, and shall fear: and they shall hope in the Lord. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies. Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number. Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require: Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart. I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it. I have not hid thy justice within my heart: I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from a great council. Withhold not thou, O Lord, thy tender mercies from me: thy mercy and thy truth have always upheld me. For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head: and my heart hath forsaken me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. Look down, O Lord, to help me. Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me. Let them immediately bear their confusion, that say to me: 'Tis well, 'tis well. Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified. But I am a beggar and poor: the Lord is careful for me. Thou art my helper and my protector: O my God, be not slack. ”

“I made no sound, I said no word, even of good; and I was moved with sorrow. My heart was burning in my breast; while I was deep in thought the fire was lighted; then I said with my tongue, Lord, give me knowledge of my end, and of the measure of my days, so that I may see how feeble I am. You have made my days no longer than a hand's measure; and my years are nothing in your eyes; truly, every man is but a breath. (Selah.) Truly, every man goes on his way like an image; he is troubled for no purpose: he makes a great store of wealth, and has no knowledge of who will get it. And now, Lord, what am I waiting for? my hope is in you. Make me free from all my sins; do not let me be shamed by the man of evil behaviour. I was quiet, and kept my mouth shut; because you had done it. No longer let your hand be hard on me; I am wasted by the blows of your hand. By the weight of your wrath against man's sin, the glory of his form is wasted away; truly every man is but a breath. (Selah.) Let my prayer come to your ears, O Lord, and give attention to my cry, make an answer to my weeping: for my time here is short before you, and in a little time I will be gone, like all my fathers. Let your wrath be turned away from me, so that I may be comforted, before I go away from here, and become nothing.”

“I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, 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. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. Hear 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. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more. ”