Psalms 38
1 For the end, a Song of David, to
Idithun.
2 I said, I will take heed to my ways,
that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner
stood in my presence. 3 I was dumb,
and humbled myself, and kept silence from good words;
and my grief was renewed. 4 My heart
grew hot within me, and a fire would kindle in my meditation: I spoke with my
tongue,
5 O Lord, make me to know mine end,
and the number of my days, what it is; that I may know what I lack.
6 Behold, thou hast made my days
aAlex. a span long.old; and my existence is as nothing before thee:
nay, every man living is altogether vanity. Pause.
7 Surely man walks in a
bGr. image.shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not
for whom he shall gather them.
8 And now what
is my expectation? is it not
the Lord? and my ground of hope is with thee. Pause.
9 Deliver me from all my
transgressions: thou hast made me a reproach to the foolish.
10 I was
cGr. made dumb.dumb, and opened not my mouth; for thou art he that made me.
11 Remove thy scourges from me: I
have fainted by reason of the strength of thine hand.
12 Thou chastenest man with rebukes
for iniquity, and thou makest his life to consume away like a spider's web:
nay, every man is disquieted in vain. Pause.
13 O Lord, hearken to my prayer and
my supplication: attend to my tears: be not silent, for I am a sojourner in
the land, and a stranger, as all my fathers were.
14 Spare me, that I may be refreshed,
before I depart, and be no more.