Psalm 39

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)

A Prayer for Forgiveness

¹I told myself, “I'll be careful
    not to sin by what I say,
and I'll muzzle my mouth
    when evil people are near.”
²I kept completely silent,
but it did no good,^[a]
    and I hurt even worse.

³I felt a fire burning inside,
    and the more I thought,
the more it burned,
    until at last I said:
⁴“Please, Lord,
show me my future.
    Will I soon be gone?
⁵You made my life short,
so brief that the time
    means nothing to you.

“Human life is but a breath,
⁶and it disappears
    like a shadow.
Our struggles are senseless;
we store up more and more,
    without ever knowing
    who will get it all.

⁷“What am I waiting for?
    I depend on you, Lord!
⁸Save me from my sins.
    Don't let fools sneer at me.
⁹You treated me like this,
and I kept silent,
    not saying a word.

¹⁰“Won't you stop punishing me?
    You have worn me down.
¹¹You punish us severely
    because of our sins.
Like a moth, you destroy
what we treasure most.
    We are as frail as a breath.

¹²“Listen, Lord, to my prayer!
My eyes are flooded with tears,
    as I pray to you.
I am merely a stranger
visiting in your home
    as my ancestors did.
¹³Stop being angry with me
and let me smile again
    before I am dead and gone.”