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The Brevity of Human Life

For the music director. For Jeduthun.[a] A psalm of David.[b]

39 I said, “I will guard my ways
that I may not sin[c] with my tongue.
I will keep a muzzle over my mouth
as long as the wicked are before me.”
I was mute with silence. I was silent even from saying good things,
and my pain was stirred up.
My heart grew hot inside me;
in my sighing a fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue,

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 One of David’s musicians (1 Chr 16:41)
  2. Psalm 39:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  3. Psalm 39:1 Literally “from sinning”

Psalm 39[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

I said, “I will watch my ways(A)
    and keep my tongue from sin;(B)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth(C)
    while in the presence of the wicked.”
So I remained utterly silent,(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(E) increased;
    my heart grew hot(F) within me.
While I meditated,(G) the fire(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.