Psalm 39:1-8

1 Yo dije: Guardaré mis caminos, para no pecar con mi lengua; guardaré mi boca como con mordaza, mientras el impío esté en mi presencia.

2 Enmudecí y callé; guardé silencio aun acerca de lo bueno, y se agravó mi dolor.

3 Ardía mi corazón dentro de mí; mientras meditaba, se encendió el fuego; entonces dije con mi lengua:

4 SEÑOR, hazme saber mi fin, y cuál es la medida de mis días, para que yo sepa cuán efímero soy.

5 He aquí, tú has hecho mis días muy breves, y mi existencia es como nada delante de ti; ciertamente todo hombre, aun en la plenitud de su vigor, es sólo un soplo. (Selah)

6 Sí, como una sombra anda el hombre; ciertamente en vano se afana; acumula riquezas, y no sabe quién las recogerá.

7 Y ahora, Señor, ¿qué espero? En ti está mi esperanza.

8 Líbrame de todas mis transgresiones; no me hagas la burla de los necios.

Psalm 39:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, [even] to Jeduthun, a Psalm of David. Some take Jeduthun to be the name of a musical instrument, as Jarchi, on which, and others the first word of a song, to the tune of which, this psalm was sung, as Aben Ezra; though it seems best, with Kimchi and others, to understand it as the name of the chief musician, to whom this psalm was sent to be made use of in public service; since Jeduthun was, with his sons, appointed by David to prophesy with harps and psalteries, and to give praise and thanks unto the Lord, 1 Chronicles 16:41; he is the same with Ethan {s}. The occasion of it is thought, by some, to be the rebellion of his son Absalom; so Theodoret thinks it was written when he fled from Absalom, and was cursed by Shimei; or rather it may be some sore affliction, which lay upon David for the chastisement of him; see Psalm 39:9; and the argument of the psalm seems to be much the same with that of the preceding one, as Kimchi observes.

{s} Vid. Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 513, 805.