Psalms 39
David resolves to guard his tongue against sin in the presence of the wicked, but inner turmoil leads him to pray to YHWH, acknowledging the brevity and vanity of human life as a mere handbreadth or vapor.[1][3] He accepts YHWH's discipline for iniquity, pleading for relief from torment while recognizing every person as transient.[1][2]
Interlinear Text
For the Leader
to the overseeing one
for Jeduthun
to Praiser
to Yedutun
for Jeduthun
for Yeduthun the Praiser
to Yedutun
A Psalm
musical composition
of David
to David
to David
Verse 1
לַ/מְנַצֵּ֥חַ
𐤋/𐤌𐤍𐤑𐤇
lamenatsecha
For the Leader
to the overseeing one
HRd/Vprmsa
ל/ידיתון
𐤋/𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤕𐤅𐤍
lydytvn
for Jeduthun
to Praiser
to Yedutun
HR/Np
לִֽ/ידוּת֗וּן
𐤋/𐤉𐤃𐤅𐤕𐤅𐤍
lidutun
for Jeduthun
for Yeduthun the Praiser
to Yedutun
HR/Np
מִזְמ֥וֹר
𐤌𐤆𐤌𐤅𐤓
mizemor
A Psalm
musical composition
HNcmsa
לְ/דָוִֽד
𐤋/𐤃𐤅𐤃
ledavid
of David
to David
to David
HR/Np
I said
I said
I will guard
Let me guard
my ways
my paths
from sinning
from erring
with my tongue
with my tongue
I will guard
Let me guard
for my mouth
according to the mouth of
a muzzle
muzzle
while
while still
the wicked
wicked man
before me
before me
Verse 2
אָמַ֗רְתִּי
𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤉
amareti
I said
I said
HVqp1cs
אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה
𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤄
eshemerah
I will guard
Let me guard
HVqh1cs
דְרָכַ/י֮
𐤃𐤓𐤊/𐤉
derakhay
my ways
my paths
HNcbpc/Sp1cs
מֵ/חֲט֪וֹא
𐤌/𐤇𐤈𐤅𐤀
mechato
from sinning
from erring
HR/Vqc
בִ/לְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥/י
𐤁/𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍/𐤉
vileshoni
with my tongue
with my tongue
HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cs
אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה
𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤄
eshemerah-2
I will guard
Let me guard
HVqh1cs
לְ/פִ֥/י
𐤋/𐤐/𐤉
lefi
for my mouth
according to the mouth of
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs
מַחְס֑וֹם
𐤌𐤇𐤎𐤅𐤌
machesom
a muzzle
muzzle
HNcmsa
בְּ/עֹ֖ד
𐤁/𐤏𐤃
beod
while
while still
HR/D
רָשָׁ֣ע
𐤓𐤔𐤏
rasha
the wicked
wicked man
HAamsa
לְ/נֶגְדִּֽ/י
𐤋/𐤍𐤂𐤃/𐤉
lenegedi
before me
before me
HR/R/Sp1cs
I was silent
I was silenced
with silence
stillness
I held my peace
I silenced
from good
from goodness
and-like-my-pain
and my pain
was stirred
was disturbed
Verse 3
נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי
𐤍𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤕𐤉
neelameti
I was silent
I was silenced
HVNp1cs
ד֭וּמִיָּה
𐤃𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤄
dumiyah
with silence
stillness
HNcfsa
הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי
𐤄𐤇𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤉
hechesheyti
I held my peace
I silenced
HVhp1cs
מִ/טּ֑וֹב
𐤌/𐤈𐤅𐤁
mitov
from good
from goodness
HR/Aamsa
וּ/כְאֵבִ֥/י
𐤅/𐤊𐤀𐤁/𐤉
ukheevi
and-like-my-pain
and my pain
HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs
נֶעְכָּֽר
𐤍𐤏𐤊𐤓
neekar
was stirred
was disturbed
HVNp3ms
was hot
Ham
my heart
my inner core
within me
in my inner being
while I was musing
in my murmuring meditation
burned
she will burn
fire
fire
I spoke
I spoke
with my tongue
with my tongue
Verse 4
חַם
𐤇𐤌
cham
was hot
Ham
HVqp3ms
לִבִּ֨/י
𐤋𐤁/𐤉
libi
my heart
my inner core
HNcmsc/Sp1cs
בְּ/קִרְבִּ֗/י
𐤁/𐤒𐤓𐤁/𐤉
beqirebi
within me
in my inner being
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs
בַּ/הֲגִיגִ֥/י
𐤁/𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤂/𐤉
bahagigi
while I was musing
in my murmuring meditation
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs
תִבְעַר
𐤕𐤁𐤏𐤓
tivear
burned
she will burn
HVqi3fs
אֵ֑שׁ
𐤀𐤔
esh
fire
fire
HNcbsa
דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤕𐤉
dibareti
I spoke
I spoke
HVpp1cs
בִּ/לְשֽׁוֹנִ/י
𐤁/𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍/𐤉
bileshoni
with my tongue
with my tongue
HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cs
make-known-to-me
cause me to know
the LORD
Yahweh
Yahweh
my-end
my cut-off point
and-measure
and measure-of
my-days
my days
what
what?
it
she
I-know
let me know
what
what?
ceasing
a lacking one
I
I
Verse 5
הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤/נִי
𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤏/𐤍𐤉
hodieni
make-known-to-me
cause me to know
HVhv2ms/Sp1cs
יְהוָ֨ה
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
yehvah
Nyambe (Lozi)
the LORD
Yahweh
Yahweh
HNp
קִצִּ֗/י
𐤒𐤑/𐤉
qitsi
my-end
my cut-off point
HNcmsc/Sp1cs
וּ/מִדַּ֣ת
𐤅/𐤌𐤃𐤕
umidat
and-measure
and measure-of
HC/Ncfsc
יָמַ֣/י
𐤉𐤌/𐤉
yamay
my-days
my days
HNcmpc/Sp1cs
מַה
𐤌𐤄
mah
what
what?
HTi
הִ֑יא
𐤄𐤉𐤀
hi
it
she
HPp3fs
אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה
𐤀𐤃𐤏𐤄
edeah
I-know
let me know
HVqh1cs
מֶה
𐤌𐤄
meh
what
what?
HTi
חָדֵ֥ל
𐤇𐤃𐤋
chadel
ceasing
a lacking one
HAamsa
אָֽנִי
𐤀𐤍𐤉
ani
Ine (Bemba)
I
I
HPp1cs
Behold
Look!
handbreadths
palm-breadths
You have made
you gave
my days
my days
and my lifetime
my fleeting life-span
as nothing
like non-existence
before You
before you (ms)
Surely
surely
every
entirety of
vapor
vapor-breath
all
entirety of
humanity
human being
walks about
standing stationed
Selah
Lift-up pause
Verse 6
הִנֵּ֤ה
𐤄𐤍𐤄
hineh
Behold
Look!
HTm
טְפָח֨וֹת
𐤈𐤐𐤇𐤅𐤕
tefachot
handbreadths
palm-breadths
HNcmpa
נָ֘תַ֤תָּה
𐤍𐤕𐤕𐤄
natatah
You have made
you gave
HVqp2ms
יָמַ֗/י
𐤉𐤌/𐤉
yamay
my days
my days
HNcmpc/Sp1cs
וְ/חֶלְדִּ֣/י
𐤅/𐤇𐤋𐤃/𐤉
vecheledi
and my lifetime
my fleeting life-span
HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs
כְ/אַ֣יִן
𐤊/𐤀𐤉𐤍
kheayin
as nothing
like non-existence
HR/Ncmsa
נֶגְדֶּ֑/ךָ
𐤍𐤂𐤃/𐤊
negedekha
before You
before you (ms)
HR/Sp2ms
אַ֥ךְ
𐤀𐤊
akhe
Surely
surely
HTa
כָּֽל
𐤊𐤋
kal
every
entirety of
HNcmsc
הֶ֥בֶל
𐤄𐤁𐤋
hevel
vapor
vapor-breath
HNcmsa
כָּל
𐤊𐤋
kal-2
all
entirety of
HNcmsc
אָ֝דָ֗ם
𐤀𐤃𐤌
adam
humanity
human being
HNcmsa
נִצָּ֥ב
𐤍𐤑𐤁
nitsav
walks about
standing stationed
HVNrmsa
סֶֽלָה
𐤎𐤋𐤄
selah
Selah
Lift-up pause
HTj
surely
surely
in an image
in image-of
walks
he walks himself about
man
man
surely
surely
vanity
vapor-breath
they are in turmoil
they roar
he heaps up
he heaps up
and not
and not
knows
let him know
who
who?
will gather them
the one gathering them
Verse 7
אַךְ
𐤀𐤊
akhe
surely
surely
HTa
בְּ/צֶ֤לֶם
𐤁/𐤑𐤋𐤌
betselem
in an image
in image-of
HR/Ncmsa
יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ
𐤉𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤊
yitehalekhe
walks
he walks himself about
HVti3ms
אִ֗ישׁ
𐤀𐤉𐤔
ish
man
man
HNcmsa
אַךְ
𐤀𐤊
akhe-2
surely
surely
HTa
הֶ֥בֶל
𐤄𐤁𐤋
hevel
vanity
vapor-breath
HNcmsa
יֶהֱמָי֑וּ/ן
𐤉𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤅/𐤍
yehemayun
they are in turmoil
they roar
HVqi3mp/Sn
יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר
𐤉𐤑𐤁𐤓
yitsebor
he heaps up
he heaps up
HVqi3ms
וְֽ/לֹא
𐤅/𐤋𐤀
velo
and not
and not
HC/Tn
יֵדַ֥ע
𐤉𐤃𐤏
yeda
knows
let him know
HVqi3ms
מִי
𐤌𐤉
mi
who
who?
HTi
אֹסְפָֽ/ם
𐤀𐤎𐤐/𐤌
osefam
will gather them
the one gathering them
HVqrmsc/Sp3mp
And now
and now
what
what?
have I waited for
I have intensely waited
O Adonai
my Sovereign Lord
my hope
my enduring hope
to you
—
it is
she
Verse 8
וְ/עַתָּ֣ה
𐤅/𐤏𐤕𐤄
veatah
And now
and now
HC/D
מַה
𐤌𐤄
mah
what
what?
HTi
קִּוִּ֣יתִי
𐤒𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤉
qiviti
have I waited for
I have intensely waited
HVpp1cs
אֲדֹנָ֑/י
𐤀𐤃𐤍/𐤉
adonay
O Adonai
my Sovereign Lord
HNcmpc/Sp1cs
תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗/י
𐤕𐤅𐤇𐤋𐤕/𐤉
tochaleti
my hope
my enduring hope
HNcfsc/Sp1cs
לְ/ךָ֣
𐤋/𐤊
lekha
to you
HR/Sp2ms
הִֽיא
𐤄𐤉𐤀
hi
it is
she
HPp3fs
from all
from the entirety of
my transgressions
my rebellions
you have kept me
Snatch me away
the reproach
reproach of
of the fool
withered-minded man
do not
upon / over
make me
you will place me
Verse 9
מִ/כָּל
𐤌/𐤊𐤋
mikal
from all
from the entirety of
HR/Ncmsc
פְּשָׁעַ֥/י
𐤐𐤔𐤏/𐤉
peshaay
my transgressions
my rebellions
HNcmpc/Sp1cs
הַצִּילֵ֑/נִי
𐤄𐤑𐤉𐤋/𐤍𐤉
hatsileni
you have kept me
Snatch me away
HVhv2ms/Sp1cs
חֶרְפַּ֥ת
𐤇𐤓𐤐𐤕
cherepat
the reproach
reproach of
HNcfsc
נָ֝בָ֗ל
𐤍𐤁𐤋
naval
of the fool
withered-minded man
HAamsa
אַל
𐤀𐤋
al
do not
upon / over
HTn
תְּשִׂימֵֽ/נִי
𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤌/𐤍𐤉
tesimeni
make me
you will place me
HVqj2ms/Sp1cs
I have been silent
I was silenced
not
not
I will open
I will open
my mouth
mouth of
because
for/because
you
you
have done it
you have done
Verse 10
נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי
𐤍𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤕𐤉
neelameti
I have been silent
I was silenced
HVNp1cs
לֹ֣א
𐤋𐤀
lo
not
not
HTn
אֶפְתַּח
𐤀𐤐𐤕𐤇
efetach
I will open
I will open
HVqi1cs
פִּ֑/י
𐤐/𐤉
pi
my mouth
mouth of
HNcmsc/Sp1cs
כִּ֖י
𐤊𐤉
ki
because
for/because
HC
אַתָּ֣ה
𐤀𐤕𐤄
atah
you
you
HPp2ms
עָשִֽׂיתָ
𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕
asita
have done it
you have done
HVqp2ms
remove
to cause to turn aside
from upon me
from upon me
your stroke
your affliction-mark
from rebuke
from a legal contention
your hand
your hand
I
I
am consumed
I have come to an end
Verse 11
הָסֵ֣ר
𐤄𐤎𐤓
haser
remove
to cause to turn aside
HVhv2ms
מֵ/עָלַ֣/י
𐤌/𐤏𐤋/𐤉
mealay
from upon me
from upon me
HR/R/Sp1cs
נִגְעֶ֑/ךָ
𐤍𐤂𐤏/𐤊
nigeekha
your stroke
your affliction-mark
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
מִ/תִּגְרַ֥ת
𐤌/𐤕𐤂𐤓𐤕
mitigerat
from rebuke
from a legal contention
HR/Ncfsc
יָ֝דְ/ךָ֗
𐤉𐤃/𐤊
yadekha
your hand
your hand
HNcbsc/Sp2ms
אֲנִ֣י
𐤀𐤍𐤉
ani
Ine (Bemba)
I
I
HPp1cs
כָלִֽיתִי
𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤕𐤉
khaliti
am consumed
I have come to an end
HVqp1cs
in-your-rebukes
in corrective reproofs
over
upon
iniquity
distortion-guilt
you-have-chastened
you disciplined
man
man
and-you-consume
and you caused to melt
like-a-moth
gnawing moth
his-desired-one
his desired one
surely
surely
vanity
vapor-breath
all
entirety of
mankind
human being
Selah
Lift-up pause
Verse 12
בְּֽ/תוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹת
𐤁/𐤕𐤅𐤊𐤇𐤅𐤕
betokhachot
in-your-rebukes
in corrective reproofs
HR/Ncfpa
עַל
𐤏𐤋
al
over
upon
HR
עָוֺ֨ן
𐤏𐤅𐤍
aon
iniquity
distortion-guilt
HNcbsa
יִסַּ֬רְתָּ
𐤉𐤎𐤓𐤕
yisareta
you-have-chastened
you disciplined
HVpp2ms
אִ֗ישׁ
𐤀𐤉𐤔
ish
man
man
HNcmsa
וַ/תֶּ֣מֶס
𐤅/𐤕𐤌𐤎
vatemes
and-you-consume
and you caused to melt
HC/Vhw2ms
כָּ/עָ֣שׁ
𐤊/𐤏𐤔
kaash
like-a-moth
gnawing moth
HRd/Ncmsa
חֲמוּד֑/וֹ
𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤃/𐤅
chamudo
his-desired-one
his desired one
HVqsmsc/Sp3ms
אַ֤ךְ
𐤀𐤊
akhe
surely
surely
HTa
הֶ֖בֶל
𐤄𐤁𐤋
hevel
vanity
vapor-breath
HNcmsa
כָּל
𐤊𐤋
kal
all
entirety of
HNcmsc
אָדָ֣ם
𐤀𐤃𐤌
adam
mankind
human being
HNcmsa
סֶֽלָה
𐤎𐤋𐤄
selah
Selah
Lift-up pause
HTj
Hear
Hearing
my prayer
my interceding prayer
the LORD
Yahweh
Yahweh
and my cry
and my cry-for-help
listen
cause yourself to listen
to
toward
my weeping
my tear
do not
upon / over
be silent
may you keep silent
for
for/because
a sojourner
resident sojourner
I
I myself
with you
with you
a guest
settled resident alien
like all
as the whole of
my fathers
my fathers
Verse 13
שִֽׁמְעָ֥/ה
𐤔𐤌𐤏/𐤄
shimeah
Hear
Hearing
HVqv2ms/Sh
תְפִלָּתִ֨/י
𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤕/𐤉
tefilati
my prayer
my interceding prayer
HNcfsc/Sp1cs
יְהוָ֡ה
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
yehvah
Nyambe (Lozi)
the LORD
Yahweh
Yahweh
HNp
וְ/שַׁוְעָתִ֨/י
𐤅/𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤕/𐤉
veshaveati
and my cry
and my cry-for-help
HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs
הַאֲזִינָ/ה֮
𐤄𐤀𐤆𐤉𐤍/𐤄
haazinah
listen
cause yourself to listen
HVhv2ms/Sh
אֶֽל
𐤀𐤋
el
to
toward
HR
דִּמְעָתִ֗/י
𐤃𐤌𐤏𐤕/𐤉
dimeati
my weeping
my tear
HNcfsc/Sp1cs
אַֽל
𐤀𐤋
al
do not
upon / over
HTn
תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ
𐤕𐤇𐤓𐤔
techerash
be silent
may you keep silent
HVqj2ms
כִּ֤י
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
for/because
HC
גֵ֣ר
𐤂𐤓
ger
a sojourner
resident sojourner
HNcmsa
אָנֹכִ֣י
𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉
anokhi
I
I myself
HPp1cs
עִמָּ֑/ךְ
𐤏𐤌/𐤊
imakhe
with you
with you
HR/Sp2fs
תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב
𐤕𐤅𐤔𐤁
toshav
a guest
settled resident alien
HNcmsa
כְּ/כָל
𐤊/𐤊𐤋
kekhal
like all
as the whole of
HR/Ncmsc
אֲבוֹתָֽ/י
𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤕/𐤉
avotay
my fathers
my fathers
HNcmpc/Sp1cs
turn away your gaze
Direct attention
from me
from me
and I will brighten
and let me renew strength
before
beforehand
I go
I will go
and I am not
and I am absent
Verse 14
הָשַׁ֣ע
𐤄𐤔𐤏
hasha
turn away your gaze
Direct attention
HVhv2ms
מִמֶּ֣/נִּי
𐤌𐤌/𐤍𐤉
mimeni
from me
from me
HR/Sp1cs
וְ/אַבְלִ֑יגָה
𐤅/𐤀𐤁𐤋𐤉𐤂𐤄
veaveligah
and I will brighten
and let me renew strength
HC/Vhh1cs
בְּ/טֶ֖רֶם
𐤁/𐤈𐤓𐤌
beterem
before
beforehand
HR/D
אֵלֵ֣ךְ
𐤀𐤋𐤊
elekhe
I go
I will go
HVqi1cs
וְ/אֵינֶֽ/נִּי
𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍/𐤍𐤉
veeyneni
and I am not
and I am absent
HC/Tn/Sp1cs