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.

1I 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.”

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

3My 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.

5You, 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

6Surely 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 21:23Classic cross-references Proverbs 13:3Classic cross-references Psalms 141:3Classic cross-references James 1:26Classic cross-references Psalms 119:9Classic cross-references

Original words

I saidאָמַ֗רְתִּיH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularI will watchאֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣הH8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularmy waysדְרָכַי֮H1870Noun - common plural construct | first person common singularso that I will not sinמֵחֲט֪וֹאH2398Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwith my tongueבִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥יH3956Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singularI will guardאֶשְׁמְרָ֥הH8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularmy mouthלְפִ֥יH6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwith a muzzleמַחְס֑וֹםH4269Noun - masculine singularas long asבְּעֹ֖דH5750Preposition-b | Adverbthe wickedרָשָׁ֣עH7563Adjective - masculine singularare presentלְנֶגְדִּֽי׃H5048Preposition-l | first person common singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

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

Original words

I was speechlessנֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּיH481Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singularand stillד֭וּמִיָּהH1747Noun - feminine singularI remained silentהֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִיH2814Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular[even] from [speaking] goodמִטּ֑וֹבH2896Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularand my sorrowוּכְאֵבִ֥יH3511Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwas stirredנֶעְכָּֽר׃H5916Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

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

Original words

My heartלִבִּ֨י׀H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singulargrew hotחַם־H2552Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwithin meבְּקִרְבִּ֗יH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularas I musedבַּהֲגִיגִ֥יH1901Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularthe fireאֵ֑שׁH784Noun - common singularburnedתִבְעַר־H1197Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular[Then] I spokeדִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּיH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularwith my tongueבִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃H3956Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

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

Original words

Show meהוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִיH3045Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singularO LORDיְהוָ֨ה׀H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularmy endקִצִּ֗יH7093Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand the measureוּמִדַּ֣תH4060Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructof my daysיָמַ֣יH3117Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularLet me knowאֵ֝דְעָ֗הH3045Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular. . .מֶה־H4100Interrogativehowמַה־H4100Interrogative. . .הִ֑יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularfleetingחָדֵ֥לH2310Adjective - masculine singularmy life isאָֽנִי׃H589Pronoun - first person common singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

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

Original words

You, indeedהִנֵּ֤הH2009Interjectionhave madeנָ֘תַ֤תָּהH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularmy daysיָמַ֗יH3117Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular[as] handbreadthsטְפָח֨וֹת׀H2947Noun - masculine pluraland my lifetimeוְחֶלְדִּ֣יH2465Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularas nothingכְאַ֣יִןH369Preposition-k | Adverbbefore Youנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָH5048Preposition | second person masculine singularTrulyאַ֥ךְH389Adverbeachכָּֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructmanאָ֝דָ֗םH120Noun - masculine singularat his bestנִצָּ֥בH5324Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularexists as but a breathהֶ֥בֶלH1892Noun - masculine singular. . .כָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructSelahסֶֽלָה׃H5542Interjection

Verse 6

Cross-references

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

Original words

Surelyאַךְ־H389Adverbevery manאִ֗ישׁH376Noun - masculine singulargoes aboutיִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־H1980Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularlike a phantomבְּצֶ֤לֶם׀H6754Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularsurelyאַךְ־H389Adverbhe bustlesיֶהֱמָי֑וּןH1993Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nunin vainהֶ֥בֶלH1892Noun - masculine singularhe heaps up [riches]יִ֝צְבֹּ֗רH6651Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularnotוְֽלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleknowingיֵדַ֥עH3045Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwhoמִי־H4310Interrogativewill haul them awayאֹסְפָֽם׃H622Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

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