Psalm 39 - LORD, Make Me to Know Mine End
A meditation on human frailty and the brevity of life before God.
Psalm 39, continuing the penitential tone of this Psalms overview section, begins with David resolving to guard his tongue and keep his mouth with a bridle while the wicked are near him, though the effort only stirs his sorrow. He then turns to God asking to be shown "the measure of my days" and how frail he truly is.
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked man is before me.
I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good, and my sorrow was stirred.
My heart was hot within me. While I was musing the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
Jehovah, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is. Let me know how frail I am.
Behold, thou have made my days as handbreadths, and my life-time is as nothing before thee. Surely every man at his best condition is altogether vanity. Selah.
Surely every man walks in a shadow. Surely they are disquieted in vain. He heaps up, and knows not who shall gather them.
And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in thee.
Deliver me from all my transgressions. Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
I was mute. I opened not my mouth, because thou did it.
Remove thy stroke away from me. I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
When thou have corrected man with rebukes for iniquity, thou make his beauty to disintegrate like a moth. Surely every man is vanity. Selah.
Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear to my cry. Keep not silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
O spare me, that I may recover strength before I go from here, and be no more.