Psalm 39:1-13
I Will Guard My Ways
Read the passage
1For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”
2I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.
3My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
4“Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days. Let me know how fleeting my life is.
5You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah
6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
7And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of fools.
9I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.
10Remove Your scourge from me; I am perishing by the force of Your hand.
11You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor. Selah
12Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. For I am a foreigner dwelling with You, a stranger like all my fathers.
13Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may again be cheered before I depart and am no more.”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
David decides to guard his ways and keep his tongue from sin while the wicked are nearby. Silence seems wise until the pressure becomes unbearable; his heart grows hot and a fire burns within him. He finally speaks, asking God to show him the measure and brevity of his days.
Human life is a breath, a shadow, and a passing image. People bustle for what does not last, piling up wealth without knowing who will receive it. David's conclusion is not despair but direction: his hope is in the LORD.
David asks to be delivered from his transgressions and for God to remove the blow of His discipline. He lives as a stranger with God, with only a short time on earth. Through tears he asks for relief so that he may know joy again before he dies. The psalm is not a polished meditation detached from grief. It is the prayer of someone trying to understand the limits of life and asking for enough mercy to breathe within them.
Questions
1 Why does David guard his tongue?
AnswerHe wants to avoid sinning with his words while wicked people are nearby and his emotions are under pressure.
2 What happens when he remains silent?
AnswerHis heart grows hot and a fire burns within him until he can no longer remain silent.
3 How does David describe human life?
AnswerHe describes it as a breath, a shadow, and a passing image that cannot secure lasting wealth.
4 Where does David place hope?
AnswerHe places hope in the LORD rather than in length of days, accumulated wealth, or human bustle.
What This Means for Us
David’s resolve to guard his tongue does not leave him with nowhere to speak. When his sorrow grows, he turns to God. We can hold back words that would wound someone and still tell the Lord honestly what is burning within us.
The picture of wealth passed to an unknown person asks us what we are living for. Consider one demand on your time that could become less important if you remembered how brief life is. David places his hope in the LORD and asks Him for mercy in the days he has.
Prayer
LORD, help us guard our tongues and bring our sorrow honestly to You. Forgive our sins, give relief to those who are worn down, and teach us to spend our brief lives in hope. Amen.