Psalm 39 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
1 (39-1) For the Leader, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. (39-2) I said: 'I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep a curb upon my mouth, while the wicked is before me.'
1 Al Músico principal, á Jeduthún: Salmo de David. YO DIJE: Atenderé á mis caminos, para no pecar con mi lengua: guardaré mi boca con freno, en tanto que el impío fuere contra mí.
1 For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”
2 (39-3) I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, had no comfort; and my pain was held in check.
2 Enmudecí con silencio, calléme aun respecto de lo bueno: y excitóse mi dolor.
2 I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.
3 (39-4) My heart waxed hot within me; while I was musing, the fire kindled; then spoke I with my tongue:
3 Enardecióse mi corazón dentro de mí; encendióse fuego en mi meditación, [y así] proferí con mi lengua:
3 My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned. I spoke with my tongue:
4 (39-5) 'LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; let me know how short-lived I am.
4 Hazme saber, Jehová, mi fin, y cuánta sea la medida de mis días; sepa yo cuánto [tengo de ser] del mundo.
4 “Yahweh, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.
5 (39-6) Behold, Thou hast made my days as hand-breadths; and mine age is as nothing before Thee; surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah
5 He aquí diste á mis días término corto, y mi edad es como nada delante de ti: ciertamente es completa vanidad todo hombre que vive. (Selah.)
5 Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.
6 (39-7) Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; surely for vanity they are in turmoil; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
6 Ciertamente en tinieblas anda el hombre; ciertamente en vano se inquieta: junta, y no sabe quién lo allegará.
6 “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.
7 (39-8) And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope, it is in Thee.
7 Y ahora, Señor, ¿qué esperaré? Mi esperanza en ti está.
7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
8 (39-9) Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the base.
8 Líbrame de todas mis rebeliones; no me pongas por escarnio del insensato.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 (39-10) I am dumb, I open not my mouth; because Thou hast done it.
9 Enmudecí, no abrí mi boca; porque tú lo hiciste.
9 I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it.
10 (39-11) Remove Thy stroke from off me; I am consumed by the blow of Thy hand.
10 Quita de sobre mí tu plaga; de la guerra de tu mano soy consumido.
10 Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
11 (39-12) With rebukes dost Thou chasten man for iniquity, and like a moth Thou makest his beauty to consume away; surely every man is vanity. Selah
11 Con castigos sobre el pecado corriges al hombre, y haces consumirse como de polilla su grandeza: ciertamente vanidad es todo hombre. (Selah.)
11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, you consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” Selah.
12 (39-13) Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; keep not silence at my tears; for I am a stranger with Thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
12 Oye mi oración, oh Jehová, y escucha mi clamor: no calles á mis lágrimas; porque peregrino soy para contigo, y advenedizo, como todos mis padres.
12 “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.
13 (39-14) Look away from me, that I may take comfort, before I go hence, and be no more.'
13 Déjame, y tomaré fuerzas, antes que vaya y perezca.
13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away and exist no more.”
Cross references (13)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 21:23; Psalm 141:3; James 1:26; Psalm 119:9; Micah 7:5–6
- 2 Matthew 27:12–14; Acts 4:20; Psalm 38:13–14; Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 7:6
- 3 Jeremiah 20:9; Luke 24:32; Ezekiel 3:14
- 4 Psalm 90:12; Psalm 103:14; Psalm 119:84; Job 14:13
- 5 Psalm 144:4; Psalm 89:47; Psalm 62:9; Psalm 90:9–10; Ecclesiastes 2:11
- 6 Luke 12:20–21; James 4:14; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Psalm 127:2; Ecclesiastes 12:13
- 7 Romans 15:13; Psalm 38:15; Psalm 119:81; Genesis 49:18; Psalm 119:166
- 8 Psalm 51:14; Psalm 44:13; Joel 2:17; Micah 7:19; Psalm 79:4
- 9 Job 2:10; 1 Samuel 3:18; Job 40:4–5; Daniel 4:35; 2 Samuel 16:10
- 10 Job 9:34; Job 13:21; Psalm 32:4; Psalm 25:16–17; Psalm 38:3–4
- 11 Job 13:28; Hebrews 12:6; Isaiah 50:9; Revelation 3:19; 1 Corinthians 11:30–32
- 12 1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13; 2 Kings 20:5; Leviticus 25:23; Psalm 116:3
- 13 Job 14:5–6; Job 10:20–21; Job 14:10–12; Job 7:19; Genesis 5:24
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
What doth this recollection of the Sabbath mean? What is this Sabbath? For it is with groaning that he "calls it to recollection." You have both heard already when the Psalm was read, and you will now hear it when we shall go over it, how great is his groaning, his mourning, his tears, his misery.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… feed upon me; nor shall thou convert me, like the food of thy flesh, into thee, but thou shall be converted into me." And I learned that Thou for iniquity dost correct man, and Thou dost make my soul to consume away like a spider. And I said, "Is Truth, therefore, nothing because it is neither diffused through space, finite, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
"For I am a stranger," saith he, "and a sojourner, as all my fathers were." For this man, and all that are like him, let pass them that had sinned, and thought of those who had approved themselves.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
This is my hope; for this do I live, that I may contemplate the delights of the Lord. Behold, Thou hast made my days old, and they pass away, and in what manner I know not.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)