Focused Passage

Psalms 39:1-6

Numbering Fleeting Days While Hoping in the Lord

resolved silence before the wicked -> burning sorrow before God -> petition to know life's brevity -> reflection on human vapor-like existence -> hope in the Lord -> plea for deliverance and mercy under discipline -> final sojourner prayer before departing life

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

2 I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.

3 My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.

5 You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah

6 Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Proverbs 21:23 Classic cross-references Proverbs 13:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 141:3 Classic cross-references James 1:26 Classic cross-references Psalms 119:9 Classic cross-references

Original words

I said אָמַ֗רְתִּי H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular I will watch אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular my ways דְרָכַי֮ H1870 Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular so that I will not sin מֵחֲט֪וֹא H2398 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct with my tongue בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י H3956 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular I will guard אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular my mouth לְפִ֥י H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular with a muzzle מַחְס֑וֹם H4269 Noun - masculine singular as long as בְּעֹ֖ד H5750 Preposition-b | Adverb the wicked רָשָׁ֣ע H7563 Adjective - masculine singular are present לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃ H5048 Preposition-l | first person common singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Acts 8:32 Classic cross-references Acts 4:20 Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 3:7 Classic cross-references Matthew 27:12 Classic cross-references Psalms 38:13 Classic cross-references

Original words

I was speechless נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי H481 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular and still ד֭וּמִיָּה H1747 Noun - feminine singular I remained silent הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי H2814 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular [even] from [speaking] good מִטּ֑וֹב H2896 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular and my sorrow וּכְאֵבִ֥י H3511 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular was stirred נֶעְכָּֽר׃ H5916 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Jeremiah 20:9 Classic cross-references Luke 24:32 Classic cross-references Job 32:18 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 3:14 Classic cross-references Job 7:11 Classic cross-references

Original words

My heart לִבִּ֨י׀ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular grew hot חַם־ H2552 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular within me בְּקִרְבִּ֗י H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular as I mused בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י H1901 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular the fire אֵ֑שׁ H784 Noun - common singular burned תִבְעַר־ H1197 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular [Then] I spoke דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular with my tongue בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃ H3956 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Psalms 90:12 Classic cross-references Job 14:5 Classic cross-references Psalms 103:14 Classic cross-references Job 14:13 Classic cross-references Psalms 119:84 Classic cross-references

Original words

Show me הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי H3045 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular O LORD יְהוָ֨ה׀ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular my end קִצִּ֗י H7093 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and the measure וּמִדַּ֣ת H4060 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct of my days יָמַ֣י H3117 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Let me know אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular . . . מֶה־ H4100 Interrogative how מַה־ H4100 Interrogative . . . הִ֑יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular fleeting חָדֵ֥ל H2310 Adjective - masculine singular my life is אָֽנִי׃ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

James 4:14 Classic cross-references Psalms 90:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 62:9 Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 1:2 Classic cross-references Job 14:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

You, indeed הִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Interjection have made נָ֘תַ֤תָּה H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular my days יָמַ֗י H3117 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular [as] handbreadths טְפָח֨וֹת׀ H2947 Noun - masculine plural and my lifetime וְחֶלְדִּ֣י H2465 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular as nothing כְאַ֣יִן H369 Preposition-k | Adverb before You נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ H5048 Preposition | second person masculine singular Truly אַ֥ךְ H389 Adverb each כָּֽל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct man אָ֝דָ֗ם H120 Noun - masculine singular at his best נִצָּ֥ב H5324 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular exists as but a breath הֶ֥בֶל H1892 Noun - masculine singular . . . כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct Selah סֶֽלָה׃ H5542 Interjection

Verse 6

Cross-references

Matthew 6:19 Classic cross-references Luke 12:20 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 1:18 Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 2:26 Classic cross-references James 4:14 Classic cross-references

Original words

Surely אַךְ־ H389 Adverb every man אִ֗ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular goes about יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־ H1980 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular like a phantom בְּצֶ֤לֶם׀ H6754 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular surely אַךְ־ H389 Adverb he bustles יֶהֱמָי֑וּן H1993 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun in vain הֶ֥בֶל H1892 Noun - masculine singular he heaps up [riches] יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר H6651 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular not וְֽלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle knowing יֵדַ֥ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular who מִי־ H4310 Interrogative will haul them away אֹסְפָֽם׃ H622 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

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