Christianity

Psalms 39The Measure of My Days

Summary

Psalm 39 begins with the speaker resolving to guard his tongue in front of the wicked, but his silence only deepens his pain until he speaks. He asks God to show him the brevity of his life, observing that every person is a breath and walks like a shadow, heaping up riches without knowing who will gather them. He ends asking God to look away so he may recover before he departs. It is ascribed to David, to Jeduthun.

Key verse

“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.”

Psalms 39:4

Themes

Brevity of Life
Silence
Vanity of Wealth
Hope in God

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.

I was dumb 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 spake I with my tongue,

LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

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.

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.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.

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.

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.

O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Buddhism
Dhammapada 146 to 156: Old Age
The chapter on old age reflects on the body as fragile and life as passing, close to Psalm 39. The Buddhist text responds by urging insight and practice rather than hope in a personal God.
Christianity
James 4: What Is Your Life?
James 4:14 calls life a vapor that appears and then vanishes, sharing Psalm 39's image of human life as a fleeting breath.
Judaism
Tehillim 39 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
Jeduthun, named in the heading, was one of the Levite musicians appointed by David (1 Chronicles 16:41), and his name also appears in the headings of Psalms 62 and 77.

Questions about Psalms 39

Who was Jeduthun?

1 Chronicles names Jeduthun as one of David's chief musicians, alongside Asaph and Heman. His name appears in the headings of Psalms 39, 62 and 77.

Is Psalm 39 used at funerals?

Yes. The Book of Common Prayer burial service includes it with Psalm 90, because of its meditation on mortality.