Psalms 39:3

Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my ^atongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”

2 ^aI was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.

3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was¹ musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “Lord, ^amake me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.

5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but ^avapor. Selah

6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they¹ busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.

7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My ^ahope is in You.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me ^athe reproach of the foolish.

9 ^aI was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was ^bYou who did it.

10 ^aRemove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.

11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty ^amelt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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Psalms 39:4 >>

Psalms 39:3

My heart was hot within me - My mind became more and more excited; my feelings more and more intense. The attempt to suppress my emotions only more and more enkindled them.

While I was musing the fire burned - literally, "in my meditation the fire burned." That is, while I was dwelling on the subject; while I was agitating it in my mind; while I thought about it - the flame was enkindled, and my thoughts found utterance. He was unable longer to suppress his feelings, and he gave vent to them in words. Compare Jeremiah 20:9; Job 32:18-19.

Then spake I with my tongue - That is, in the words which are recorded in this psalm. He gave vent to his pent-up feelings in the language which follows. Even though there was a feeling of murmuring and complaining, he sought relief in stating his real difficulties before God, and in seeking from him direction and support.

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Psalms 39:4 >>

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