Psalms 39

To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, a psalm of David

39:Title “For Jeduthun” – see 1 Chron 16:41-42; 1 Chron 25:1-6. Two other psalms are for him – 62 and 72. Parts of this Psalm are similar to Ps 38:13-14; 32:3-5; and to some words of Job.⚜

I said, “I will watch

my ways, so that I

do not sin with my tongue.

I will keep a muzzle

on my mouth,

while the wicked are before me”.

39:1 A fine resolution. James says if a man does not sin with his tongue he is a perfect man (Jam 3:2). David was careful lest he dishonor God by something he said, or lest the wicked pervert his good words for a bad use (Ps 73:15; Eccl 3:7; Matt 7:6).⚜

2 I was bound to silence.

I kept quiet, even

from good;

and my sorrow was stirred.

3 My heart was hot within me;

while I was musing,

the fire burned.

Then I spoke with

my tongue.

39:2-3 How common is this experience to us! How hard it is to control the tongue (Jam 3:7-8).⚜

4 LORD, make me know

my life’s end,

and what the number

of my days is,

so that I may know

how frail I am.

5 See, you have made my days

like a hand breadth,

and my age is as nothing

before you.

Truly every man in his best state is

altogether vanity. Selah

6 Surely every man walks

about like a shadow.

Surely they are agitated in vain.

He heaps up riches and

does not know who will

gather them.

39:4-6 One aid to controlling the tongue is to really understand the brevity of life. See Ps 62:9; 90:12; 1 Cor 7:31; Jam 1:10-11; 2 Pet 1:14. Knowing this we will not want to spend our time telling of the prosperity and success of the wicked, or their opposition to us. We will have much better things about which to speak.⚜

7 And now, Lord,

for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

8 Deliver me from all

my transgressions.

Do not make me the scorn

of the foolish.

39:8 He wants more than mere forgiveness. He wants to be delivered from the power and effect of his sins (see also Ps 51:14; Matt 1:21).⚜

9 I was mute;

I did not open my mouth;

because you did it.

39:9 To endure quietly God’s chastening hand is a very healthy thing (Lam 3:22-33).⚜

10 Remove your plague

from me;

I am destroyed by the blow

of your hand.

11 When you use rebukes

to correct a man for sin,

you make his beauty consume

like a moth.

Surely every man is vanity. Selah

39:7-11 Another help in controlling the tongue is to submit in hope to God’s chastening hand.⚜

39:11 On discipline see Heb 12:5-11.⚜

12 Hear my prayer, O LORD,

and give ear to my cry.

Do not be silent at my tears;

for I am a foreigner

with you,

and a sojourner,

as all my fathers were.

39:12 On tears see Ps 56:8; Isa 38:5.⚜

13 Oh, look away from me,

that I may recover strength,

before I leave here and am no more.

39:13 Job 7:19; 10:20-21; 14:6. Job and David could not endure what they regarded as God’s frowning and angry face.⚜