Psalm 39

Psalm 39 is the 39th psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue". The Book of Psalms is the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation in the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 38 in a slightly different numbering system. In Latin, it is known as "Dixi custodiam vias meas".[1] It is a meditation on the fragility of man before God, ending in a prayer for a peaceful life.

This article uses Hebrew (Masoretic) psalm numbering. Psalm 39 in Greek (Septuagint or Vulgate) numbering corresponds to Psalm 40 in Hebrew numbering.
Psalm 39
"I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue"
Psalm 39 in a Franciscan manuscript
Other name
  • Psalm 38
  • "Dixi custodiam vias meas"
LanguageHebrew (original)

The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant liturgies and is appointed in the Anglican Common Prayer to be read at funerals. It has inspired hymns based on it, and has been set to music often. It was set by Baroque composers such as Heinrich Schütz, and single verses were used prominently in major works, by Johannes Brahms in Ein deutsches Requiem and by Igor Stravinsky in Symphony of Psalms.

Background and themes

According to the Talmud (Bava Batra 14a-b), this is one of the ten psalms authored by Moses.[2] Matthew Henry attributes it to David, stating that he must have been in emotional turmoil or beset by enemies when he wrote the psalm, and struggled to wait patiently for God's salvation.[3]

Verse 1 in the Hebrew text addresses the song to Jeduthun. According to Rashi, this refers either to one of the Levite singers or to the name of a musical instrument.[4]

According to Brueggemann and Bellinger, "Psalm 39 articulates hope and despair simultaneously", as it tries to come to terms with "the transience and troubles of life".[5] Other Christian scholars see the psalm as an analogy to one's sins, where "he" is representative of the "members of his body" (Christians).[6] Adam Clarke summarizes the psalm as follows: "Faith has always to struggle with difficulties. Though ... troubles of life, come ever into his memory; his prayer is that his God will provide for him".[7] Charles Spurgeon sees the psalm saying there is a time to be silent and a time to speak,[8] while Hans Werner sees an inner struggle for David to control his tongue.[9]

Rabbeinu Bachya teaches on Verse 12, which mentions both prayer and tears, that "prayer needs tears".[10]

Structure
Psalms scroll.

The numbering of the verses differs between the Hebrew and Latin versions.

Clarke holds that the psalm:[11]

  1. relates the care and watchfulness over one's thoughts, tongue, and actions, v1-3;
  2. considers the brevity and uncertainty of human life, v4-7;
  3. prays for deliverance from sin, v8-11; and
  4. asks that the author be protected and spared until he is fitted for another world, v12, 13.

Spurgeon broke the psalm down as follows:

  1. Burdened with many sorrows v1-2;
  2. Prayer in his torment v 3–6;
  3. Submission to God v7-13;
  4. Relief and trust.

The Old Testament scholar Hermann Gunkel in his standard work The Psalms believes the structuring of the verses was originally:[12]

  1. Vers 2–4: Introduction to and emergence of the poem
  2. Vers 5ff: The actual poem
  3. Vers 5–7 and 12: General considerations
  4. Vers 8 and 13c.d: Return to yourself
  5. Vers 13a.b, 9-11 and Vers 14: The actual dirge

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 39:

Verse Hebrew
1 לַֽמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִֽידוּת֗וּן (כתיב לִֽ֜ידיּת֗וּן) מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד
2 אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶשְׁמְרָ֣ה דְרָכַי֘ מֵֽחֲט֪וֹא בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י אֶשְׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֣י מַחְס֑וֹם בְּעֹ֖ד רָשָׁ֣ע לְנֶגְדִּֽי
3 נֶֽאֱלַ֣מְתִּי ד֖וּמִיָּה הֶֽחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי מִטּ֑וֹב וּכְאֵבִ֥י נֶעְכָּֽר
4 חַם־לִבִּ֨י | בְּקִרְבִּ֗י בַּֽהֲגִיגִ֥י תִבְעַר־אֵ֑שׁ דִּ֜בַּ֗רְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי
5 הֽוֹדִ֘יעֵ֚נִי יְהֹוָ֨ה | קִצִּ֗י וּמִדַּ֣ת יָמַ֣י מַה־הִ֑יא אֵֽדְעָ֗ה מֶה־חָדֵ֥ל אָֽנִי
6 הִנֵּ֚ה טְפָח֨וֹת | נָ֘תַ֚תָּה יָמַ֗י וְחֶלְדִּ֣י כְאַ֣יִן נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ אַךְ־כָּל־הֶ֥בֶל כָּל־אָ֜דָ֗ם נִצָּ֥ב סֶֽלָה
7 אַךְ־בְּצֶ֚לֶם | יִתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶֽהֱמָי֑וּן יִ֜צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹֽסְפָֽם
8 וְעַתָּֽה מַה־קִּוִּ֣יתִי אֲדֹנָ֑י תּֽוֹחַלְתִּ֗י לְךָ֣ הִֽיא
9 מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעַ֥י הַצִּילֵ֑נִי חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֜בָ֗ל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי
10 נֶֽאֱלַמְתִּי לֹ֥א אֶפְתַּח־פִּ֑י כִּ֖י אַתָּ֣ה עָשִֽׂיתָ
11 הָסֵ֣ר מֵֽעָלַ֣י נִגְעֶ֑ךָ מִתִּגְרַ֥ת יָ֜דְךָ֗ אֲנִ֣י כָלִֽיתִי
12 בְּתֽוֹכָ֘ח֚וֹת עַל־עָו‍ֹ֨ן | יִסַּ֬רְתָּ אִ֗ישׁ וַתֶּ֣מֶס כָּעָ֣שׁ חֲמוּד֑וֹ אַ֚ךְ הֶ֖בֶל כָּל־אָדָ֣ם סֶֽלָה
13 שִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־תְפִלָּתִ֨י | יְהֹוָ֡ה וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י | הַֽאֲזִינָה֘ אֶל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י אַל־תֶּֽ֫חֱרָ֥שׁ כִּ֚י גֵ֣ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י עִמָּ֑ךְ תּ֜וֹשָׁ֗ב כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָֽי
14 הָשַׁ֣ע מִמֶּ֣נִּי וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֵלֵ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי

King James Version
  1. 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 is before me.
  2. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
  3. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
  4. LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.
  5. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
  6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
  7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
  8. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.
  9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.
  10. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
  11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
  12. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
  13. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Uses

Judaism

Verse 13 is part of Selichot.[13]

Catholic Church

Traditionally, this psalm was recited or sung in monasteries during the Monday[14] of matins, according to the rule of Saint Benedict of 530 AD.[15][16] In the current Liturgy of the Hours, it is sung or recited in the Office of Readings on Wednesday of the second week.[17]

Hebel est omnia Adam

William Brewster, one of the Pilgrim Fathers, used the motto Hebel est omnia Adam, a Hebrew-Latin phrase taken from verse 5, next to his signature to indicate the vanity of man.[18]

Musical settings

Hymns paraphrasing Psalm 39 include "Almighty maker of my frame" by Anne Steele.[19]

Heinrich Schütz set the psalm in German with the text from the Becker Psalter, "In meinem Herzen hab ich mir" (In my heart I [told] myself), for choir as his SWV 136. Verses 4 to 7 in German, "Herr, lehre doch mich" (Lord, teach me) are used in the third movement of Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms, for baritone, choir and orchestra. Verses 13 and 14 in Latin are used in the first movement of the Symphony of Psalms by Igor Stravinsky.

The text of the psalm in English (verses 4 onwards) has been set to music as a motet by Maurice Greene,[20] and by Sir Hubert Parry as the final of six motets in his choral work Songs of Farewell.[21] Both works are entitled "Lord, Let Me Know Mine End".

Igor Stravinsky set Psalm 39:12&13 in the 1st movement of his Symphony of Psalms.

References
  1. Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 38 (38) Archived 7 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  2. "Bava Batra 14a-b: They Wrote the Books". steinsaltz.org. February 5, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  3. Henry, Matthew (2018). "Psalms 39". Bible Study Tools. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  4. "Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 39". Chabad.org. 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  5. Brueggemann, Walter; Bellinger, Jr., William H. (2014). Psalms. Cambridge University Press. p. 194. ISBN 9781107511828.
  6. Reinhard Schlieben, Christliche Theologie und Philologie in der Spätantike: Die schulwiss. Methoden d. Psalmenexegese Cassiodors (1974), 26
  7. Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary. On Psalms 39.
  8. Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David Archived 2015-11-26 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Werner Bible Commentary.
  10. Houminer, Rabbi Shemuel (1994). Faith and Trust. Feldheim Publishers. p. 153. ISBN 9780873066570.
  11. Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary. On Psalms 39.
  12. Hermann Gunkel, Die Psalmen (61986), 163f.
  13. Brauner, Reuven (2013). "Shimush Pesukim: Comprehensive Index to Liturgical and Ceremonial Uses of Biblical Verses and Passages" (PDF) (2nd ed.). p. 37.
  14. Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique, p. 154, 1938/2003
  15. Règle de saint Benoît, traduction de Prosper Guéranger, (Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, réimpression 2007). p. 46,
  16. La distribution des Psaumes dans la Règle de Saint Benoît
  17. The main cycle of liturgical prayers takes place over four weeks.
  18. James D. Butler (April 30, 1902). Brewster Autograph in Wisconsin, in Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society. Press of Charles Hamilton. p. 103f.
  19. "Almighty maker of my frame". hymnary.org. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  20. "Lord, let me know mine end (Psalm 39:4-7,12-13) – Maurice Greene | The Bible as Music". bibleasmusic.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  21. Shrock, Dennis (2009). Choral Repertoire. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 9780195327786. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
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