For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.

1 I said, "I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue.

I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me."

2 I was mute with silence.

I held my peace, even from good.

My sorrow was stirred.

3 My heart was hot within me.

While I meditated, the fire burned.

I spoke with my tongue:

4 "Yahweh, show me my end,

what is the measure of my days.

Let me know how frail I am.

5 Behold, you have made my days hand widths.

My lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely every man stands as a breath." Selah.

6 "Surely every man walks like a shadow.

Surely they busy themselves in vain.

He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in you.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

9 I was mute.

I didn’t open my mouth,

because you did it.

10 Remove your scourge away from me.

I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11 When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity,

you consume his wealth like a moth.

Surely every man is but a breath." Selah.

12 "Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry.

Don’t be silent at my tears.

For I am a stranger with you,

a foreigner, as all my fathers were.

13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength,

before I go away and exist no more."

1 To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. -- A Psalm of David. I have said, `I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked [is] before me.`

2 I was dumb [with] silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.

3 Hot [is] my heart within me, In my meditating doth the fire burn, I have spoken with my tongue.

4 `Cause me to know, O Jehovah, mine end, And the measure of my days -- what it [is],` I know how frail I [am].

5 Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age [is] as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity [is] every man set up. Selah.

6 Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

7 And, now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope -- it [is] of Thee.

8 From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not.

9 I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou -- Thou hast done [it].

10 Turn aside from off me Thy stroke, From the striving of Thy hand I have been consumed.

11 With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity [is] every man. Selah.

12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And [to] my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I [am] with Thee, A settler like all my fathers.

13 Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!