Psalms 39:2

2 So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;

Psalms 39:2 in Other Translations

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.

2 But as I stood there in silence— not even speaking of good things— the turmoil within me grew worse.

2 "Mum's the word," I said, and kept quiet. But the longer I kept silence The worse it got -

2 I was speechless and quiet; I kept silent, even from [speaking] good, and my pain intensified.

Psalms 39:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 39:2

I was dumb with silence
Quite silent, as if he had been a dumb man, and could not speak; so he was before men, especially wicked men, and under the afflicting hand of God; see ( Psalms 39:9 ) ; thus he put his resolution into practice;

I held my peace, [even] from good;
that is, he said neither good nor bad: this expresses the greatness of his silence: he did not choose to open his lips, and say anything that was good, lest evil should come out along with it; though this may be considered as carrying the matter too far, even to a criminal silence; saying nothing of the affliction he laboured under as coming from the hand of God, and of his own desert of it; nor praying to God for the removal of it, nor giving him thanks for his divine goodness in supporting him under it, and making it useful to him; though it seems rather to have respect to his silence concerning the goodness of his cause before men; he said not one word in the vindication of himself; but committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously. The Targum and Jarchi interpret it of his silence and cessation "from the words of the law": he said nothing concerning the good word of God; which sense, could it be admitted, the words in ( Jeremiah 20:9 ) ; might be compared with these and the following;

and my sorrow was stirred;
this was the issue and effect of his silence; his sorrow being pent up, and not let out and eased by words, swelled and increased the more; or the sorrow of his heart was stirred up at the insults and reproaches of his enemies, as Paul's spirit was stirred up by the superstition and idolatry of the city of Athens, ( Acts 17:16 ) .

Psalms 39:2 In-Context

1 I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.”

2 So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;

3 my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

Cross References

• 1. ver 9; S Job 31:34; Psalms 77:4; Psalms 38:13
• 2. Psalms 6:3; S Psalms 25:17; Psalms 31:10