39: 1 The Vanity of Life. For the Chief Musician, for ²²⁹ Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep ²³⁰my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
²²⁹Ps 62 title; 77 title; 1Chr 16:41; 25:1.
²³⁰Hb. a bridle (or, a muzzle) for my mouth,

39: 2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, ²³¹even from good; And my sorrow was stirred.
²³¹Or, and had no comfort; Hb. away from good;

39: 3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned Then spake I with my tongue:
39: 4 Jehovah, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how frail I am.
39: 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; And my lifetime is as nothing before thee: Surely every man ²³²at his best estate is altogether vanity. [Selah
²³²Hb. standing firm is altogether a breath.

39: 6 Surely every man walketh ²³³in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted ²³⁴in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
²³³Or, as a shadow;
²³⁴Or, for vanity:

39: 7 And now, ²³⁵Jehovah, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.
²³⁵Sopherim changed to Lord,

39: 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
39: 9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it.
39: 10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the ²³⁶blow of thy hand.
²³⁶Hb. conflict

39: 11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou ²³⁷makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. [Selah
²³⁷Or, consumest like the moth his delights:

39: 12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
39: 13 Oh ²³⁸spare me, that I may ²³⁹recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more.
²³⁸Or, look away from me,
²³⁹Hb. brighten up,