Psalm 39 Verse-by-Verse

Welcome to the DRAFT Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 39!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Introduction

Overview

The purpose of Psalm 39, a psalm that could be titled "Everyone is but a breath," is to beg for relief from YHWH's affliction, in light of the brevity of life.

The overall content of the psalm is captured in the following summary:

It did no good for me to keep silent about my affliction.

If my life is like nothing in your eyes, why do you even bother to discipline me? I, just like every person, am no more than a breath.

Relieve me of your affliction so that I can enjoy what is left of my short life!

The psalm's message, then, could be expressed as follows: Neither human endeavor nor affliction for sin make sense when people live such short lives.

Story Behind

The "story" of the psalm's content is reflected in the following summary: The speech time of Psalm 39 is preceded by almost the entirety of the psalm's content. In v. 12 it is revealed that YHWH has disciplined David on account of his sin, to which David responds in silence (vv. 2–3). This silence, however, became too much for him, as his heart burned within him and he had to speak up (v. 4), complaining about his frail state and transience. Rather than the silence bringing him peace, YHWH's affliction caused David to waste away (v. 11b). It is here that we understand David to pray to YHWH for deliverance (see vv. 9, 11, 13). Thus, YHWH will listen to David's cry for help and will rescue him from his offenses, turning his affliction away from David, so David can recover for a while before he passes on, to be no more.

Thus, the background events preceding the psalm's speech time include:

Important background ideas to understand the psalm involve the following:

• Silence was considered a wise response to difficult and perplexing situations of suffering (Lev 10:3; Ps 37:7; Prov 26:4), such that the sufferer considered their silence to honor YHWH and that somehow they would be vindicated (see v. 3b).
• "YHWH disciplines people with punishments on account of sin" (v. 12; cf. Pss 30, 32), but onlookers, (whether rightly or wrongly) concluding that sin has caused their suffering, foolishly "consider themselves superior" (Ps 38:17; cf. Pss 22:8–9; 39:9b; 69:11–13; Lam 2:17).
•  The recognition and confession of the brevity of one's life functions as an appeal for present mercy (Ps 89:48–49).

Layout

Progression of Thought

There are three major sections in Psalm 39.

• vv. 2–6b: The psalmist is clearly under affliction, but resolves to keep silent in the presence of the wicked, so they would not hear his complaint and consider themselves superior to him. His frustration boils over, however, and he finally speaks up about the brevity of his life and then questions the purpose of YHWH's ongoing discipline upon him, if he is going to die soon anyway.
• vv. 6c–12: The psalmist generalizes his observations on the transience of human life and reflects on the futility of all human effort. He submits to YHWH's hand of discipline on account of his sin, while also confessing his hope in YHWH.
• vv. 13–14: The psalmist finally begs YHWH to give him some respite from his discipline, so that he can recover and enjoy what is left of his short life.

Poetic Macrostructure

Scholars have interpreted the poetic macrostructure of Psalm 39 in a number of different ways. Crenshaw has recently summarized the situation: "The structure of the poem is unclear, for clues point to different ways of dividing its individual units." There seem to be contradictory signals between the position of the refrains and "selahs," on the one hand (vv. 6c, 12c), and the apparent continuity between vv. 6–7 and interactional discourse marker, "But now" (v. 8) on the other hand. Only universally recognized is the introduction of vv. 2–4. By far the most common structure suggested by scholarship is the division of sections vv. 2–4; vv. 5–7; vv. 8–12; vv. 13–14. This is largely based on the position of the vocatives at the beginning of each suggested section (see vv. 5, 8, 13) and the interpretation of thematic content. These proposed structures intentionally overlook the contribution of the refrain and "selah" (vv. 6c, 12c), which are, by far, the most significant formal indications of the poetic macrostructure. If these refrains are given their due weight, the poem must be divided into two larger sections of vv. 2–6; vv. 7–12, with vv. 13–14 as a final section, about half the length of the other sections. While typically refrains are found in section-final position (especially with an accompanying "selah"; cf. Ps 46:8, 12), Raabe notes that "One could argue that [the refrain in] 39.6c [is] section-initial." Such an observation accounts for the larger section divisions in accordance with the refrains, but also allows significant continuity through vv. 6c–7. 

Structural observations

• Vv. 2–4 are dominated by the psalmist determination to keep silence. In terms of participant analysis, YHWH is absent throughout these verses. Structurally, the section contains the inclusio of first-person verb and the prepositional phrase "with my tongue."
• Vv. 5–6b contain the quoted speech introduced by the verb of speech at the end of v. 4. Structurally, the section is bound by the repetition of "my days" and the word play on the roots חדל/חלד.
• Vv. 6c–12c are demarcated by the inclusio consisting of the refrain, "selah," and the word אִישׁ ("man/people").
• Vv. 13–14 are found outside the final refrain and "selah" (v. 12c) and are dominated by imperatival forms. As noted above, this section contains only seven lines, roughly half the length of the previous two sections.

Emotions

Prominence

• The most prominent section of Psalm 39 is vv. 6c–7b. This is largely due to the refrain, the particle "truly, only" (אַךְ), the imagery, and the poetic feature, Adam, Abel, and Image (see below).
• The most prominent verses are vv. 7, 12.
• The most prominent lines are vv. 6c, 12c—that is, those containing the refrain.
• The most prominent words are also contained in the refrain—namely, "a breath" (vv. 6c, 12c).

The story told through the psalm's prominence could be summarized largely by the refrain in v. 6c: "Truly, everyone is a breath, every person 'standing firm'."

Poetics

Abel, Adam, and Image

Poetic Feature:

• Both refrains of Psalm 39 contain the words "a breath" (הֶבֶל) and "person" (אָדָם). These words are identical to names in Genesis 1–4, Abel and Adam.
• The word הֶבֶל is repeated in v. 7c, following mention of man walking around "as a shadow" (בְּצֶלֶם), which is identical to the word used in Genesis 1:26–27, "in the image."
• Outside of this psalm, the verb שׁעה is only found 12 times in the Bible, including Genesis 4:4–5: "The Lord looked with favor (וַיִּשַׁע) on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor (שָׁעָה)" (NIV). Psalm 39:14 is the only instance in the hiphil binyan.

Effect:

There are numerous intertextual and lexical connections with the creation of humanity and its destiny to die (Genesis 3), as well as the unfortunate end to Abel's life (Genesis 4). Even though humanity is created "in the image" (בְּצֶלֶם) of God in Genesis 1:26–27, they walk around "as a shadow" (בְּצֶלֶם) in Psalm 39:7a.

There was hope when God looked in favor (שׁעה) on Abel's offering (Gen 4:4). The psalmist, however, reflects on Abel's premature end—in contrast to Cain's survival and resulting dynasty (Gen 4:17)—and laments the apparent injustice continuing down to his day. He asks not that God look on him in favor, but that he remove his gaze so the psalmist can embrace the only thing waiting for him: death.

Life—and poetry—cut short

Poetic Feature:

• The poetic macrostructure of Psalm 39 is primarily informed by the presence of a refrain found in vv. 6c and 12c.
• The poetic section preceding the refrain has 13 lines, another 13 lines are found between the refrains, and the final section of the poem consists of 7 lines.
• The first refrain (v. 6c) has an extra word both at the beginning and end, in comparison to that of v. 12c.

Effect:

The refrains decrease from seven words (including the "selah") in v. 6c, to five words in v. 12c. Further, the final section is significantly shorter than the previous two. These features communicate both the lack of closure to the psalm and the brevity of life spoken of therein. Rather than dedicate space to restoration and praise, as is typical of other lament psalms, Psalm 39 requests only a brief time of respite before the psalmist "passes on and is no more."

The sound of silence

Poetic Feature:

• In Psalm 39:2–4, the psalmist commits to keeping silent in his state of suffering, but cannot keep his speech in. He reiterates his previous commitment in v. 10a.
• By the end of the psalm (v. 13), he requests YHWH not be silent at his weeping. His hope is that YHWH will grant him some relief before he passes away.

Effect:

The intense focus on the psalmist's efforts to keep silent, which ultimately became too much for him (vv. 2–4), primes the reader's sensitivity to the theme of silence throughout the rest of the psalm. Indeed, the verb "I was mute" (נֶאֱלַמְתִּי) is repeated in vv. 3a, 10a. It is striking, therefore, that one of the psalmist's final appeals, alongside "hearing and listening," is that YHWH not "keep silent at my weeping" (v. 13c).

Is the psalmist's hope (v. 8) for full restoration, so that his mouth will be full of praise once again? This does not seem to be the case in Psalm 39, as we reach the final line: "I will pass away and be no more." The psalmist is aware of and miserably complains about both his own transience and that of humanity in general (see vv. 5–7, 12). After receiving relief from his affliction, he is resigned that only the place of silence (see Pss 94:17; 115:17) awaits him.

Participants and Speech Acts

It is possible that the addressee of vv. 2–7 are the psalmist's community. YHWH is absent throughout vv. 2–7, with the exception of the quoted speech in vv. 5–6b. The shift of addressee between vv. 7–8 could be indicated by the interactional discourse marker "But now," as a conversation-management tool. On the other hand, Occam's razor probably dictates that YHWH is the addressee throughout the psalm, so that is our preferred interpretation. It is also preferable that the two instances of the refrain (vv. 6c, 12c) be addressed to the same person.

For the extent of the quoted speech introduced by I spoke with my tongue in v. 4c, see the exegetical issue, The Quoted Speech in Psalm 39. We understand the quoted speech to include both v. 5 and 6a-b, excluding the refrain and following discourse.

Verse-by-Verse Notes

v. 1

Hebrew	Verse	English
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִֽידוּת֗וּן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	v. 1	For the director. According to Yeduthun. A psalm. By David.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

For the director. According to Yeduthun. A psalm. By David.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse one is the psalm's superscription, providing information concerning the purpose, musical arrangement, and author of the psalm.

• On the phrase for the director, see our discussion on Lamnaṣṣēaḥ.
• We understand the function of the preposition לְ on לִֽידוּת֗וּן as "according to Yeduthun." The name appears with the preposition עַל in Pss 62 and 77 and also appears alongside David as the primary author both here and in Psalm 62, and with Asaph in Psalm 77. Thus, Mowinckel concludes that, in contrast to the other names found in the Psalms superscriptions, "the term 'Jeduthun' ... is not the name of an author nor even the name of a person, but a liturgical technical term." The variation in prepositions (between לְ and עַל) and Yeduthun's appearance alongside other songwriters is significant. Other functions of עַל in the Psalms' superscriptions refer to either the instrument played or the melody/style. The most plausible interpretation here, then, seems to be "according to [the arrangement] of Yeduthun."
• The spelling of Yeduthun is split between the ketiv ("what is written") ידיתון and the qere ("what is read") לִֽידוּת֗וּן. The same ketiv/qere is found in Psalm 77. The only other Psalm which contains Yeduthun in the superscription (Ps 62) reads, unambiguously, יְדוּת֗וּן (= the qere in Ps 39:1), and so this reading has been preferred.
• For the phrase, by David, see our discussion on Ledavid.

---

Failed Resolution (vv. 2–6b)

In this poetic section the psalmist is clearly under affliction, but resolves to keep silent in the presence of the wicked, so they would not hear his complaint and consider themselves superior to him. His frustration boils over, however, and he finally speaks up about the brevity of his life and then questions the purpose of YHWH's ongoing discipline upon him, if he is going to die soon anyway.

Its content could be summarized as follows: Under your affliction, I decided not to speak, but it did no good. I spoke up and complained: "My days are as short as handbreadths!"

The speech act consists of a report and its emotions are characterized by determination followed by discontentment.

v. 2

Hebrew	Verse	English
אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה דְרָכַי֮ מֵחֲט֪וֹא בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י	v. 2a	I decided, "I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue.
אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה לְפִ֥י מַחְס֑וֹם	v. 2b	I will keep a muzzle for my mouth
בְּעֹ֖ד רָשָׁ֣ע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃	v. 2c	while the wicked are still in my presence."

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

After receiving YHWH's discipline on account of my sin, I decided to keep silent about it and not complain. I said:"I will guard my the ways of my behavior and thoughts from sinning by complaining with my tongue or accusing YHWH of injustice. I will keep a muzzle for my mouth while the wicked are still in my presence," in case they hear my complaint and anguish and consider themselves superior to me.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 2 begins the psalmist's report of his affliction yet resolution to keep silence in the presence of the wicked.

• For the imagery of "ways as conduct" in the phrase I will guard my ways, see the following table:

• The word muzzle (מַחְסוֹם) only occurs here in the Bible, though it is unambiguously derived from the root √חסם, whose verbal form is used to describe "muzzling an ox" (לֹא־תַחְסֹ֥ם שׁ֖וֹר; Deut 25:4). In later Hebrew, similarly, it is used in the sense of "dam a pool" (Ben Sira 48:17; ויחסום ... מקוה). Our preferred syntactic interpretation is to read מַחְסוֹם as the grammatical object and for my mouth (לְפִי) the purpose/goal, as reflected by the NIV: "I will put a muzzle on my mouth" (cf. CJB, NABRE, NET). This requires two slightly different senses of the verb שׁמר in this verse: "guard" in the first instance and "keep" in the second.
• The psalmist leaves the nature of provocation of the wicked open. Is he silent towards the adversaries to not answer a fool in his folly? Or is he silent towards God in complaint, so as to not cause unbelievers cause to mock and ask "Where even is God?" The former case would be a complaint about injustice in the world in light of the wicked's apparent prosperity, or, even more extreme, the problem could be the presence (לְנֶגְדִּֽי) of the wicked in the world in general, along the lines of Psalms 73 and 94. The latter, which is most probable in light of the mention of sin later in the psalm (vv. 9, 12), as well as the total lack of mention of the wicked flourishing in the rest of the psalm, indicates thematic affinity with texts such as Psalm 22 and Job. In contrast to Job, however, in this psalm, the psalmist's guilt is recognized, such that the strong parallels with the previous psalm are telling and v. 17 there probably elucidates the present decision: "they would rejoice concerning me, [those who] have considered themselves superior to me when my feet slip" (Ps 38:17, CBC).
• The previous conclusion is supported by the use of the compound preposition לְנֶגֶד, which most often means "in front of, before" (BDB, 617), though in a minority of cases can contain the sense of hostility, "against" (see, e.g., Prov 21:30; Dan 10:13), as the interpretation of both Jerome and the Peshitta here. This ambiguity is perhaps intentional. The latter interpretation, "whenever the wicked confront me" (CJB), could suggest that the wicked person was responsible for David's suffering, though perhaps only as an onlooker and accuser (cf. Ps 22:7–9). The former interpretation, "while the villain was in my presence" (RJPS), indicates the suffering is generalized and not necessarily caused by the wicked person, but clarifies that they serve only as onlookers and mockers who would accuse David of unjust complaint as Job's friends did. The second half of the psalm shows YHWH ultimately to be the decreer of David's suffering, so the interpretation in my presence seems preferable.

---

v. 3

Hebrew	Verse	English
נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי ד֭וּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי מִטּ֑וֹב	v. 3a	I was completely mute. I stayed silent without a good
וּכְאֵבִ֥י נֶעְכָּֽר׃	v. 3b	and my pain was stirred up.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

I was completely mute. I stayed silent, but without any reprieve—I expected a good result, but there was none whatsoever. In fact, my affliction only seemed to grow worse and my pain was stirred up.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 3 reveals that the psalmist's vow of silence did not improve his situation.

• For the contribution of the phrase I was completely mute to the psalm's poetics, see the poetic feature, The sound of silence, discussed above. The lexicons suggest glosses for this verb phrase along the lines of "to be dumb, to be unable to speak" (SDBH), though here it is the psalmist's choice to stay silent, as reflected in our gloss.
• The noun "silence" (ד֭וּמִיָּה) is apparently functioning as a nominal adverb. In comparison with the bare נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי in v. 10 ("I was silent," NIV), the compound נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי ד֭וּמִיָּה communicates a more extreme effort in silence: "I remained utterly silent" (NIV); cf. "I was completely quiet" (CEB), "I was stone silent" (NET).
• For a full discussion of the phrase without a good result, see the exegetical issue The Meaning of מִטּוֹב in Psalm 39:3.
• SDBH defines כְּאֵב as the "state in which humans experience grief." Since כְּאֵב can be both "mental and physical" (BDB, 456), we prefer the gloss pain as more generic, in which physical affliction (v. 11) was evidently accompanied by psychological desperation and frustration (vv. 3c–4b).
• The fronting of my pain indicates its status as a newly-activated topic (hinted at, but only implicitly, by the preceding מִטּ֑וֹב in the previous line).

• The niphal עכר only appears here and in Proverbs 15:6: "but the income of the wicked will be ruined" (NET; וּבִתְבוּאַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע נֶעְכָּֽרֶת). There is a marginal note in Ben Sira (B) 37:12 containing יעכר בך "he will be distraught because of you". The use of this verb in the qal binyan makes clear the contextual domain of well-being (SDBH) and causing trouble. The thin evidence of the niphal in the Bible is compatible, however, with "be disturbed, stirred up" (so Jerome and Symmachus), in light of Mishnaic use, such as found in Menachot 9:5: "R. Yose says: 'Not because of that, but because what is in the liquid measure is stirred up (נֶעְכָּר) while what is in the dry measure is not stirred up (נֶעְכָּר).'" In other words, the psalmist feels disappointed at the lack of good result, despite his complete silence, such that "his suffering became very great" (Job 2:13; גָדַ֥ל הַכְּאֵ֖ב מְאֹֽד).

---

v. 4

Hebrew	Verse	English
חַם־לִבִּ֨י ׀ בְּקִרְבִּ֗י	v. 4a	My heart became hot inside me;
בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י תִבְעַר־אֵ֑שׁ	v. 4b	when I was sighing a fire would burn.
דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃	v. 4c	I spoke with my tongue:

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

The more I kept it in, the more my heart became hot inside me with my frustration at boiling point; I would not speak; I would only let out a sigh. But even when I was sighing a fire would burn within me and I could not hold back any longer. I did not immediately object about my affliction, which was just. I only complained about my temporary state as a human: what is the point of my short life if I am going to spend it under the discipline of YHWH's hand? So I finally spoke up with my tongue,

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 4 elaborates on the "pain" introduced in v. 3, until the decision to speak up.

• For the conceptual metaphor desperation is heat, see the following table:

SDBH understands the function of became hot (חָם) here as the "state in which humans experience extreme anger," as is expected for the common understanding of "heat as anger" being an entrenched and automatically-calculated metaphor in the biblical corpus (as, for example, in modern English). Nevertheless, each case depends on the context within which it is found (cf. Deut 19:6) and here the context does not support the idea of anger.

• The fronting of the prepositional phrase when I was sighing (בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י) provides a temporal frame-setter for the iterative burning.

Accordingly, in contrast to the qatals in the other clauses of this verse, the yiqtol would burn (תִבְעַר) should be read as habitual/iterative.

• This verse finishes with the phrase, I spoke with my tongue, introducing direct speech in the following verses. The extent of this quotation is debated, however. For a full discussion, see the exegetical issue, The Quoted Speech in Psalm 39. We prefer to understand the quoted speech to span vv. 5–6b, immediately preceding the refrain in v. 6c.

---

v. 5

Hebrew	Verse	English
הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה ׀ קִצִּ֗י	v. 5a	"Teach me, YHWH, my end
וּמִדַּ֣ת יָמַ֣י מַה־הִ֑יא	v. 5b	and the measure of my days, what is it?—
אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה מֶה־חָדֵ֥ל אָֽנִי׃	v. 5c	let me know how frail I

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

"Teach me, YHWH, my end —and the measure of my days, what is it?— let me know how frail I am!

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 5 begins the quoted speech of the psalmist directed to YHWH, which, in the form of an imperative, functions as an indirect speech act of complaint about the brevity of his life.

• For a full discussion on the meaning of this verse, see the exegetical issue The Meaning of the Request in Psalm 39:5. The request is curious, given the response in v. 6 and following passage. Rather than a request, then, "the psalmist is really not asking for information as such (after all, the psalmist knows that life is brief); rather he is protesting the unfairness of it all," as a complaint or simply resignation.
• Our preferred interpretation is to read the second clause ("The measure of my days, what is it?") as an independent clause, as illustrated by the CEB: "Let me know my end, Lord. How many days do I have left?" Alternatively, one could understand it as further content of what David requests YHWH show him, as reflected in the ESV: "make me know my end and what is the measure of my days." The parallel uses of the verb ידע in the first clause (הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי "teach me") and third clause (אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה "let me know") indicate the parenthetical nature of this clause.
• The construct phrase the measure of my days (מִדַּ֣ת יָמַ֣י) communicates the quantity of an entity, such as, for example, "the number of his months" (מִֽסְפַּר־חֳדָשָׁ֥יו) in Job 14:5. In this sense, it serves to denote the whole of the part-whole entity of the psalmist's life, in analogy to other numeral quantifiers: "the measure of my days" ➞ "the total of my days."
• Most modern translations treat הִ֑יא as if it were a pronominal copula, such as the ESV: "what is the measure of my days." For this reading, however, we would expect a masculine form (as found in some manuscripts). Rather, "the measure of my days" is best understood as left-dislocated and it (הִ֑יא) as the predicate, as illustrated by the KJV: "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is."
•  A number of manuscripts contain a waw conjunction, to create a weyiqtol verb form ואדעה, best read as result or purpose: "so that I will know how short-lived I am" (CSB). Nevertheless, the MT's yiqtol also reads naturally as as new clause: "let me know how fleeting I am!" (ESV); cf. "May I know...!" (JM §114c).
• This is one of only two instances of the adjective frail (חָדֵל) in the Bible, along with Isaiah 53:3: נִבְזֶה֙ וַחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים "He was despised and [ceased by ➞] rejected by men" (ESV). Nevertheless, it is unambiguously related to the common verbal root √חדל, "to cease," so the adjective "ceasing" ➞ "transient" is highly plausible. Targum Psalms' paraphrase brings this sense out helpfully: "when I shall cease from the world."

---

v. 6

Hebrew	Verse	English
הִנֵּ֤ה טְפָח֨וֹת ׀ נָ֘תַ֤תָּה יָמַ֗י	v. 6a	Look, you have set my days as handbreadths
וְחֶלְדִּ֣י כְאַ֣יִן נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ	v. 6b	and my lifetime is like nothing before you."
אַ֥ךְ כָּֽל־הֶ֥בֶל כָּל־אָ֝דָ֗ם נִצָּ֥ב סֶֽלָה׃	v. 6c	Truly, everyone is a breath, every person "standing firm." Selah.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

Look, surely you know, as well as I do, that you have set my days as short as a few handbreadths and my lifetime is like nothing before you. So, deal with me on account of my sin, but can I enjoy a little bit of life afterwards? What is the point of my short ilfe if I am under your discipline for the rest of it (see Ps 89:48–49)?" Truly, not just me, but everyone is a breath, every person who thinks they are"standing firm" and cannot be moved. Selah .

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 6a-b continues the quoted speech of the psalmist's complaint (see v. 5 above), followed by the refrain of v. 6c, which begins the new poetic section of vv. 6c–12.

• The deictic discourse marker Look (הִנֵּ֤ה) introduces the argumentative content of v. 6a-b, until the following "Truly" (אַ֤ךְ) in v. 6c.
• This is a unique form of handbreadths (טְפָח֨וֹת) in the Bible, though is undoubtedly related to the more common terms טֶ֫פַח and טֹ֫פַח, both meaning "handbreadth." The fronting of "handbreadths" indicates its status as a focal constituent, in this case scalar, as evident in translations such as the RJPS: "You have made my life just handbreadths long."

• For the imagery of a "lifespan as a handbreadth," see the following table:

• For other examples of the so-called particle of non-existence (אַיִן) functions as a noun, nothing, see also Isaiah 40:17; 41:11; Haggai 2:3.
• As noted in the introduction (above), the final line of this verse introduces a new poetic section and a new macro-speech act. Further, this line is a refrain, almost identical to the formulation found in v. 12c, though with important differences. For the poetic implications of these differences, see the poetic feature Life—and poetry—cut short, as discussed above. See, also, the contribution of v. 6c and v. 7 to the poetic feature, Abel, Adam, and Image. For the imagery of humanity as a breath, see the following table:

As one of the key words of the psalm, see also the following Venn diagram, comparing the connotations of the English gloss breath with the Hebrew הֶבֶל:

• Both instances of Truly (אַךְ) in the refrains (vv. 6c, 12c) function as a sentence-level adverbial of affirmation, in that it "confirms possible implications of a preceding assertion."
• The syntax of the rest of the final clause of this verse is difficult. We prefer to read everyone (כָּֽל) as the grammatical subject and a breath (הֶ֥בֶל) as the predicate, with כָּל־אָ֝דָ֗ם נִצָּ֥ב right-dislocated, as represented by the NIV: "Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure." Admittedly, this interpretation runs counter to the suggestion of the accents, which contain a conjunctive accent between "breath" (הֶ֥בֶל) and "every person," but a disjunctive accent on "every person" (כָּל־אָ֝דָ֗ם) before "'standing firm'." Nevertheless, it is consistent with intended sense of the clearer syntax of v. 12 (cf. Ps 62:10, אַ֤ךְ׀ הֶ֥בֶל בְּנֵֽי־אָדָם֮).
• We understand the modifier נִצָּ֥ב to be ironic, hence the quotation marks around "standing firm" in our CBC. People may think they stand firm and will last, but, in the end, all life is but a breath.

---

Submissive Reflection (vv. 6c–12)

In this poetic section the psalmist generalizes his observations on the transience of human life and reflects on the futility of all human effort. He submits to YHWH's hand of discipline on account of his sin, while also confessing his hope in YHWH.

Its content could be summarized as follows: Truly, everyone is but a mere breath. People are restless in vain, since they do not know who will inherit their possessions and YHWH destroys them like a moth.

The speech acts consist of a reflection and lament and its emotions are characterized by discomfort.

v. 7

Hebrew	Verse	English
אַךְ־בְּצֶ֤לֶם ׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ	v. 7a	Truly, man walks around as a shadow
אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶהֱמָי֑וּן	v. 7b	people are restless, but only in vain—
יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם׃	v. 7c	he heaps up, though without knowing who will gather it.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

Truly, man walks around as but a shadow that disappears or changes form as soon as the sun moves on —people are restlessly working to leave some sort of legacy on earth, but only in vain, since they must leave their possessions to one who comes after. And who knows whether th) at person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of their toil into which they have poured their effort and skill under the sun(Eccl 2:18–19) — he heaps up, though without knowing who will gather it. YHWH knows that human plans are futile (Ps 94:11).

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 7 elaborates on the content of the refrain (v. 6c), providing more details of the futility of humanity's labor in light of its transience.

• In terms of participants, verse 7 is unique in that it only involves the generic group, people, introduced in v. 6c, as illustrated by the participant distribution table:

•  The בְּ in בְּצֶ֤לֶם functions as the somewhat uncommon beth essentiae, that is, "in the role/capacity of x" ➞ "as x." See, for example, "Everyone walks about as a mere shadow" (RJPS; cf. ESV, NIV). This rare function could have been employed here to provide an intentional ambiguity with the apparently simpler sense of "in an image." This ambiguity provides an allusion to Genesis 1:26–27, along with "Adam" (אָדָם; vv. 6, 12) and "Abel" (הֶבֶל; vv. 6, 7, 12), as discussed in the poetic feature, Abel, Adam, and Image.
• The fronting of "as a shadow" indicates its status as a focal constituent, in this case scalar, as evident in translations such as the RJPS: "Everyone walks about as a mere shadow."

• For the imagery of humanity as a shadow, see the following table:

• While this instance of אַךְ ("only") could also function as the other three in the psalm (see vv. 6c, 7a, 12c), the restrictive focus particle makes better sense in this case. Compare, for example, the NFC: "il s'agite, mais ce n'est que du vent." Following the function of אַךְ as a restrictive focus particle, the fronted constituent, "in vain", is naturally read as restrictive focus.
• Just as the use of הֶבֶל in the refrain (vv. 6c, 12c) refers to "the lifetime of a human being ... as frail and transient (Bratcher & Reyburn 1991, 376), so here, too, their labor throughout life is "futile" and "does not serve any purpose" (SDBH), that is, in vain.
• Translations vary in their interpretation of יֶהֱמָי֑וּן ("people are restless"). The next clause clarifies, however, that the business of gathering material wealth is most likely in view, so we have preferred the gloss "be restless" (HALOT), rather than "be in a tumult" (DCH), "commotion" (BDB), or "uproar" (SDBH).
• The verb he heaps up (צבר) is used to describe heaping up grain (Gen 41:35, 49), silver (Zech 9:3; Job 27:16) and silver and gold (Ben Sira 47:18). In the present clause, its object is dropped, but provided after the participle "gathering them" (אֹסְפָֽם).
• Although we would expect a qatal (יָדַע) for the stative of this verb, a present interpretation of the yiqtol יֵדַ֥ע here is early and widespread. It may be that the yiqtol was selected here in continuity with the rest of habitual yiqtols in this verse. Nevertheless, we find most plausible that the yiqtol function here is co-subordinate to the preceding clause, hence our preference of a circumstantial clause, glossed as "without knowing." Compare the NET: "Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away."
• The future reference time of the participle אֹסְפָֽם, which is quite unambiguous, licenses the future gloss supplied here: who will gather it (cf. the NET and CSB). Grammatically, the form could be analyzed as the so-called "imminent future" function of the participle.

---

v. 8

Hebrew	Verse	English
וְעַתָּ֣ה מַה־קִּוִּ֣יתִי אֲדֹנָ֑י	v. 8a	But now, what am I looking for, Lord?
תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗י לְךָ֣ הִֽיא׃	v. 8b	My hope, it is in you.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

But now, what am I looking for, Lord? Great possessions or long life? My hope, it is simply in you taking your afflication away from me.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 8 turns back to the psalmist's first-person experience and declares his hope in YHWH. The precise nature of that hope, however, is not fully revealed until v. 14.

• As highlighted in the poetic structure, "The second prayer [vv. 8-12] alternates between trust and accusation":

• But now (וְעַתָּ֣ה) at the beginning of this verses functions as an interactional discourse marker in terms of conversation management, in order "to readdress God," such that it is more interactional than logical, which would be more structurally significant. As such, this interactional discourse marker can easily fall within the poetic section of vv. 6c–12 (see poetic structure above).</ref> It does, however, seem to initiate a new global speech act of lament, as noted in the introduction.
• Following most English translations, the present English gloss, What am I looking for? appropriately communicates the stativity of the Hebrew verb of cognition (מַה־קִּוִּ֣יתִי).
• On the לְ as the object of "hope in you" (תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗י לְךָ֣), see also the verbal form of the same root (יחל): "On you, Lord, I fix my hope" כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי (Ps 38:16, REB; cf. Ps 31:25; 33:22).

---

v. 9

Hebrew	Verse	English
מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעַ֥י הַצִּילֵ֑נִי	v. 9a	Rescue me from all my offenses;
חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃	v. 9b	do not make me a fool's object of scorn.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

Doubtless, I deserve it, so please rescue me from all my offenses; do not make me a fool's object of scorn, being insulted by those who consider themselves superior to me (Ps 38:17), as if they do not sin and will not see the same end as me.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 9 reveals the psalmist's recognition of his sin and guilt. Thus, he wishes not only to be delivered from affliction (see v. 11), but also from the sin that has brought it upon him.

• The fronting of from all my offenses (מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעַ֥י) is difficult, though as the first mention of the psalmist's sins, it may be topically activating this reality (cf. v. 12a). Further, it may provide topical contrast from the left-dislocated "my hope" in the previous line. An Information-Structural explanation for the fronting "a fools's object of scorn" (חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל) in the second clause is lacking and the best interpretation is poetic repetition with the preceding line, with 9 syllables each and the sentence stress (indicated by the strongest disjunctive accent) on the penultimate syllable (ēnî).
• As in most instances of "scorn" חֶרְפָּה as a construct head, the dependent noun is the agent of the scorning (cf. Ps 22:7), that is, the fool's object of scorn, not "being scorned as a fool."

---

v. 10

Hebrew	Verse	English
נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי לֹ֣א אֶפְתַּח־פִּ֑י	v. 10a	I was mute. I would not open my mouth,
כִּ֖י אַתָּ֣ה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃	v. 10b	because you acted.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

Remember, I was mute. I would not even open my mouth, except to sigh (v. 4), because I knew it was you who acted to discipline me.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 10 reiterates the psalmist's resolve to keep silent in the face of YHWH's affliction, since it was not the wicked's initiative (see v. 3), but, in fact, YHWH's actions.

• For the contribution of the first line of this verse to the psalm's poetry, see the discussion of the poetic feature The sound of silence above.
• The LXX, aware of the required past reference time in this clause, translates the yiqtol אֶפְתַּח with an aorist: "I did not open (οὐκ ἤνοιξα) my mouth" (NETS). Rather than perfective (aorist), however, the yiqtol is better understood as an imperfective, as found, for example, in the past habitual of the NIV: "I was silent; I would not open my mouth." Other translations provide a present habitual, which is similar to our preferred interpretation, though makes little sense of the psalm's co-text if not placed in an anterior reference time—see vv. 3–4, after which the psalmist could not keep his speech in any longer and did, in fact, speak out.
• Although there is no explicit conjunction between the first two clauses on this verse, their conceptual coordination is highly probable, such that the third clause is subordinate to them both.

• The overt pronoun indicates the selective focus of who acted—that is, "for it is you who have done it" (ESV) and my affliction was not ultimately caused by the wicked (v. 3) or fools (v. 9), for example.

---

v. 11

Hebrew	Verse	English
הָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י נִגְעֶ֑ךָ	v. 11a	Take your affliction away from me;
מִתִּגְרַ֥ת יָ֝דְךָ֗ אֲנִ֣י כָלִֽיתִי׃	v. 11b	because of the hostility of your hand I have wasted away.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

But please, take your affliction away from me; for it is because of the hostility of your hand that I may as well have already wasted away.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 11 provides the second petition of the poetic sub-section of vv. 8–11—namely, that YHWH not only deal with the psalmist's sin, but that he remove his affliction, too.

• The phrase away from me employs the compound preposition מֵעַל "from upon." Whereas עַל does not require direct contact between the figure (trajector) and ground (landmark), in the sense of over or above, the "From Upon Sense" requires this contact and in the present instance communicates alleviation and movement of YHWH's affliction away from (contact with) the psalmist.
• As made clear in the following clause and verse, YHWH's hand is against the psalmist in hostility (v. 11b), and he disciplines people with punishments on account of sin (v. 12a). It is likely that the psalmist is suffering illness (see v. 11b and the alleviation of such in v. 14a; cf. Job 7:17–21) caused by his wrongdoing (v. 9). It is in this sense that only YHWH can remove the affliction (נֶגַע, from the root נגע, "to hit/strike") being experienced by the psalmist.
• An Information-Structural explanation for the double fronting in the second clause of this verse is lacking and the best interpretation is poetic symmetry with the preceding line's finite verb (A), first-person reference (B), and second-person suffixed noun (C):

// הָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י נִגְעֶ֑ךָ

 מִתִּגְרַ֥ת יָ֝דְךָ֗ אֲנִ֣י כָלִֽיתִי׃

• The noun תִּגְרָה only occurs here in the Bible. Lexicons have defined the word as "blow" (SDBH), "attack" (Angriff; Gesenius 2013, 1425), "hostility" (DCH) and "contention, strife" (BDB). It may be that some of these suggestions are influenced by the verbal root √גרה: piel "stir up strife" and hithpael "engage in strife" (BDB). Others may simply be guessing based on the ancient versions, such as Jerome's contentio "exertion," or the Aramaic תִּגְרָא "strife, contest, complaint." The gloss hostility for this singular noun seems to be flexible enough to account for physical attacks (as clearly in the previous clause) as well as different forms of strife or contention in general.
• The qatal כלה I have wasted away communicates "literally: to be finished; hence: = process by which humans feel physically weak as a result of hardship or a deeply felt wish for something to happen" (SDBH).

---

v. 12

Hebrew	Verse	English
בְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹת עַל־עָוֺ֨ן ׀ יִסַּ֬רְתָּ אִ֗ישׁ	v. 12a	You discipline people with punishments on account of sin
וַתֶּ֣מֶס כָּעָ֣שׁ חֲמוּד֑וֹ	v. 12b	and like a moth you cause their desirable things to disintegrate.
אַ֤ךְ הֶ֖בֶל כָּל־אָדָ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃	v. 12c	Truly, every person is a breath. Selah.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

I know that this is your way: you discipline people with punishments on account of sin and like a moth you cause their desirable things to disintegrate. Truly, just like me, every person is nothing more than a breath. Selah .

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 12, like vv. 6c–7, returns to generalizations concerning YHWH's treatment of people on account of sin and the futility of heaping up possessions only to be left to someone else (cf. v. 7). As evident in Adam (see the poetic feature, Abel, Adam, and Image), the consequence of sin is death for all humanity.

• The phrase with punishments on account of sin is fronted as a selective focus of the confirmation of what the psalmist now understands to have been YHWH's intentions all along.
• Most modern translations interpret the qatal you discipline (יִסַּ֬רְתָּ) as a present habitual, in other words, "it is your way to bring suffering upon people in order to punish him for his guilt." Notarius, likewise, claims that the qatal "is commonly used as a generic present or future" in poetry. In this case, "it is perfective and expresses a single act of a member of the set of the class named by the subject nominal that is representative of the characteristic acts of all members of the class." Other examples are found in Jeremiah 8:7; Proverbs 14:6; 26:13; 31:12. Alternatively, a perfective qatal interpretation is possible if we understand that the psalmist is referring to his own past experience of discipline.
• The wayyiqtol you cause to disintegrate (וַתֶּ֣מֶס) takes its tense-aspect-mood from the preceding qatal (see the previous note). The use of the root מסה is unique here in diverging slightly from its basic sense of "melt," with the clausal object "desirables" and modifer "like a moth." Thus, the intention seems to be "consume" (SDBH), in similar manner to "dissolve." The gloss "cause to disintegrate" (DCH) is a graphic representation of the transience of a person's goods (cf. v. 7).
• The article on כָּעָ֣שׁ should be understood as indicating a class—that is, "like the moth" ➞ "like moths" ➞ like a moth as illustrated by some Spanish and French versions: "Como la polilla, consumes lo que es más precioso para él" (LBLA); "tu détruis comme la teigne ce qu’il a de plus cher" (SG21). For the imagery of "YHWH's discipline as a moth," see the following table:

• The final line of this verse provides the second instance of the psalm's refrain (cf. v. 6c). In similar fashion to v. 6c, it is preferable to read the particle אַ֤ךְ as a polarity discourse marker, "truly," such that it "confirms possible implications of a preceding assertion." Nevertheless, it is also possible to interpret it as a restrictive focus particle, modifying הֶ֖בֶל, as reflected in the HCSB: "every man is only a vapor."

---

Final Request (vv. 13–14)

In this poetic section the psalmist finally begs YHWH to give him some respite from his discipline, so that he can recover and enjoy what is left of his short life.

Its content could be summarized as follows: "Leave me alone, so I can enjoy what is left of my short life before I pass away!"

The speech act consists of a plea and its emotions are characterized by depression.

v. 13

Hebrew	Verse	English
שִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־תְפִלָּתִ֨י ׀ יְהוָ֡ה	v. 13a	Hear my prayer, YHWH,
וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י ׀ הַאֲזִינָה֮	v. 13b	and listen to my cry for help.
אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י אַֽל־תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ	v. 13c	Do not keep silent at my weeping,
כִּ֤י גֵ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י עִמָּ֑ךְ	v. 13d	because I am a sojourner with you,
תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָֽי׃	v. 13e	a temporary resident, like all of my ancestors.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

But hear my prayer, YHWH, and listen to my cry for help. Do not keep silent at my weeping, because I am a mere sojourner with you, a guest in your world, with no rights, but hopeful of hospitality and justice,[I am] a temporary resident, like all of my ancestors who have already passed away.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 13 begins the psalmist's final request as a mere guest and sojourner. The nature of this request is fully revealed in v. 14.

• The present verse begins the final poetic section, indicated by the closure provided by the refrain in v. 12c and it's selah, and the final macro-speech act of plea (see the introduction to this page).
• There is some debate concerning the line- and clause-divisions in the first three lines of this verse. The issue primarily revolves around the word "my cry for help" (שַׁוְעָתִ֨י). The internal evidence of clause divisions and balance are consistent with our preferred line division (despite five-line verses being rare). Nevertheless, the third clause requires a rare use of the preposition אֶל in the phrase "do not keep silent at my weeping" (אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י אַֽל־תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ)—see below, while the manuscript evidence is mixed. The oldest Greek witnesses, for example, Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, divide the syntax differently, reading הַאֲזִינָה֮  אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י together and beginning the third line with אַֽל־תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ, with שַׁוְעָתִ֨י forming part of the first clause:

Hear my prayer, YHWH, and my cry for help.

Listen to my weeping;

do not keep silent.

Gauthier, however, notes that "a choice between the two sentence divisions cannot be easily determined for the OG and should not be pressed too strongly. Thus, we prefer to follow the MT's line- and clause-division, as reflected in our CBC.

• This the only place in the Bible where the preposition אֶל ("at") accompanies the verb חרשׁ, be silent. The closest parallel we have is מִן in Psalm 28:1 "do not be deaf to me" (אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי). Nevertheless, it is plausible that the sense of אֶל belongs to the following established function: "The landmark y may be the goal of an act of observation or that of an emotional process," that is, toward. Compare, for example, 1 Kings 8:29: "that your eyes may be open toward this house" (לִהְיוֹת֩ עֵינֶ֨ךָ פְתֻח֜וֹת אֶל־הַבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙). In the present instance, modern translations typically employ either to or at, that is, in the presence of, as illustrated by the NIV and CSB, respectively: "do not be deaf to my weeping" (NIV); "do not be silent at my tears" (CSB). For the contribution of this line to the psalm's poetry, see the discussion of the poetic feature The sound of silence above.
• The idea of being a "guest" or "client" with God ("sojourner," גֵ֣ר) is clear in the name gryhw found in an 8th Century fragment in Tel Arad (and possibly also Hebrew inscriptions discovered in Beth-Shean and Mareshah), as well as West Semitic seals and cuneiform sources. Furthermore, the mention of "like all my ancestors" probably hints at the idea of "lie in the place of my ancestors," that is, to die (see, e.g., 1 Kgs 2:10; 11:43; 15:24).
• The sense of the prepositional phrase with you (עִמָּ֑ךְ) is not altogether obvious. It may be as simple as "in your presence," that is, "before you," as found in the similar expression in 1 Chronicles 29:15. On the other hand, it is possible that this preposition suggests an elided verbal idea, such as "be a sojourner [and live] with you," as reflected in the NIV: "I dwell with you as a foreigner," or "be a sojourner [and not have any rights] with you." The frame of land as a home is also possibly activated, as reflected in "I’m just a foreigner— an immigrant staying with you" (CEB) and "un étranger chez toi" (SG21). In any case, "the expression suggests closeness to God." For a discussion of the imagery, see the following table:

• The suggested gloss could also be "immigrant," instead of "sojourner," though while a גֵּר can be permanent, it is not necessarily so. Indeed, permanency does not seem to be at play in Psalm 39, while "immigrant" is generally considered permanent. Compare the following two Venn diagrams:

---

v. 14

Hebrew	Verse	English
הֶשַׁ֣ע מִמֶּ֣נִּי וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה	v. 14a	Look away from me so that I may recover,
בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֵלֵ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃	v. 14b	before I pass away and am no more.

Diagrams Expanded Paraphrase

Expanded Paraphrase The words in <i>italics</i> provide a fuller sense of the psalm; the text itself is in <b>bold</b>.

All I ask is that you look away from me and remove your affliction so that I may recover and enjoy life for a little while, before I pass away and am no more.

Notes

• Summary 
• Notes

Verse 14 reveals that the psalmist's final request is that YHWH remove his affliction, yet his hope goes no further—all he asks is to recover and enjoy his brief life before he passes away.

• We recommend the translator not read further into the request that its plain sense, such that "in Psalm 39 a tragic feeling towards life is expressed and we gain nothing transforming it into a devote and solemn petition."
• All of the modern translations consulted and the majority of ancient versions interpret the MT's form הָשַׁ֣ע as "to look away (from someone), to leave alone," that is, from the root שׁעה. Although many have suggested that the form is "surely a slip of the pen for שְׁעֵה," there is no manuscript evidence for this whatsoever and the suggested emendation is highly implausible, requiring the mistaken placement of ה at the beginning of the word instead of the end (that is, שעה erroneously copied as השע).

On the other hand, some have noted that morphologically the MT's הָשַׁ֣ע "could only be imperative Hiphʿîl of שָׁעַע (=smear over)." Nevertheless, it is possible to interpret the MT's consonants as a short imperative of the hiphil שׁעה, just as other III-י hiphil imperatives that lose their final he, such as הֶרֶף (see Ps 37:8 among others) and הֶרֶב (see Judg 20:38 and the qere in Ps 51:4). This suggestion has two difficulties: (1) it requires the revocalization to הֶשַׁע, and (2) it requires the same sense of the verb שׁעה in both the qal stem (see, e.g., Isa 22:4; Job 7:19; 14:6) and this unique hiphil instance. Since, however, this reading honors the consonantal text of the MT and reflects the majority of the ancient versions, we find it to be the most plausible, despite its difficulties.

• For the contribution of the root שׁעה to the psalm's poetry, see the discussion of the poetic feature Abel, Adam, and Image above.
• Our preference of a resultative weyiqtol so that I may recover (וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה) reflects the most common interpretation among translations. Alternatively, the form could be read as a yiqtol and its cohortative he suffix would suggest a rendering similer to the CEV: "and let me smile again." 
• The verb בלג only occurs here and in Amos 5:9, Job 9:27 and 10:20. The use in Amos 5:9 is slightly distinct, however: "who makes destruction flash forth (הַמַּבְלִ֥יג) against the strong" (ESV). But the lexical domain of "shine" is compatible with the restoration of health and joy throughout the Bible and in the ancient Near East in general. Thus, both our example here and the other two instances in Job carry the sense of "shine" ➞ "brighten up," that is, "recover."
• The final line also contributes to the psalm's poetic feature, The sound of silence. After receiving relief from his affliction, he is resigned that only the place of silence (see Pss 94:17; 115:17) awaits him, when he passes on and is no more.

---

Legends

Grammatical diagram

Visualization	Description
	The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
	The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
	The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
	When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
	In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
	Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
	Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
	The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
	The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
	Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
	Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
	Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
	Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
	When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
	Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
	Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
	Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
	Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
	In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
	Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.

Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text	The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading	The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element)	Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( )	The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses. For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.

Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC	The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning	A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element	The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

Bibliography

Alonso Schökel, Luis. 1988. "Todo Adán es Abel: Salmo 39," Estudios Bíblicos 46: 269–282.

Atkinson, Ian. 2025. "Parentheticals in Biblical Hebrew Prophetic and Poetic Literature." Vetus Testamentum. doi:10.1163/15685330-bja10226

Auffret, Pierre. 1990. "'Car toi, tu as agi' Étude structurale du psaume 39," Bijdragen 51 no. 2: 118–138.

Barthélemy, Dominique, et al. 2005. Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament: Tome 4. Psaumes. Fribourg / Göttingen: Vandenhoeck Ruprecht.

Bauer, Hans and Leander Pontus. 1922. Historische Grammatik der Hebräischen Sprache des Alten Testamentes. Halle: Max Niemeyer.

Beuken, Willem A. 2020. From Servant of YHWH to Being Considerate of the Wretched: The Figure David in the Reading Perspective of Psalms 35-41 MT. Leuven: Peeters.

Blau, Joshua. 2010. Phonology and Morphology of Biblical Hebrew: an Introduction. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press.

Böhler, Dieter. 2021. Psalmen 1–50. Freiburg, Basel, Wien: Herder Verlag.

Botha, Phil. 2017. "Psalm 39 and its Place in the Development of a Doctrine of Retribution in the Hebrew Bible," OTE 30.2: 240–264.

Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William David. 1991. A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms, UBS Handbook Series. New York, NY: United Bible Societies.

Brockelmann, Carl. 1956. Hebräische Syntax. Neukirchen: Verlag der Buchhandlung des

Erziehungsvereins.

Cohen, Shaye J. D., Goldenberg, Robert and Lapin, Hayim (eds). 2022. The Oxford Annotated Mishna: A New Translation of the Mishna with Introductions and Notes. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Cohen-Tzemach, David. 1996. "Chapter 39" (Hebrew). Pages 172–175 in Psalms: Volume 1. Olam HaTaNaKh. Tel Aviv: דודזון–עתי.

Crenshaw, James L. 2012. "The Journey from Voluntary to Obligatory Silence (Reflections on Psalm 39 and Qoheleth)." Pages 177–191 in Focusing Biblical Studies: The Crucial Nature of the Persian and Hellenistic Periods. Essays in Honor of Douglas A. Knight. Edited by Jon L. Berquist and Alice Hunt. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

Croft, William. 2022. Morphosyntax: Constructions of the World's Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Delitzsch, Franz. 1871. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 2. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Dobbs-Allsopp, Frederick. W. 2005. Hebrew Inscriptions: Texts from the Biblical Period of the Monarchy. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Fassberg, Steven E. 2019. An Introduction to the Syntax of Biblical Hebrew (Hebrew). Jerusalem: Bialik Institute.

Fokkelman, Jan P. 2003. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: at the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis. Volume III: The Remaining 65 Psalms. Assen: Royal Van Gorcum.

Gauthier, Randall X. 2014. Psalms 38 and 145 of the Old Greek Version. Leiden: Brill.

Gesenius 2013 = Gesenius, W. Donner, H. Rüterswörden, U. Renz, J. Meyer, R. (eds.). 2013. Hebräisches und aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament. 18. Auflage Gesamtausgabe. Berlin: Springer.

Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. The Book of Psalms: Books 1-2 (Hebrew). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.

Hoftijzer, J. & Jongeling, K 1995. Dictionary of the North-West Semitic Inscriptions. Leiden: Brill.

Ibn Ezra, Abraham. Ibn Ezra on Psalms.

Jastrow, Marcus. 1903. A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature. London: W.C. Luzac & Co.

Khan, Geoffrey. 2026. "Yiqṭol," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by Geoffrey Khan et al. Cambridge: University of Cambridge and Open Book Publishers.

Khan, Geoffrey. 2026. "Qaṭal," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by Geoffrey Khan et al. Cambridge: University of Cambridge and Open Book Publishers.

Kirkpatrick, Alexander, F. 1897. The Book of Psalms with Introduction and Notes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1897

Kynes, Will. 2012. My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping: Job's Dialogue with the Psalms. Berlin: De Gruyter.

Malbim. Malbim on Psalms.

Mena, Andrea K. 2012. “The Semantic Potential of עַל in Genesis, Psalms, and Chronicles.” MA Thesis, Stellenbosch University.

Messarra, John A. 2020. An Investigation of וְעַתָּה: Beyond the Temporal/Logical Bifurcation. MA Thesis, Stellenbosch University.

Mowinckel, Sigmund. 1962. The Psalms in Israel’s Worship. Two Volumes. Translated by D. R. Ap-Thomas. Oxford: Blackwell.

Notarius, Tania. 2013. The Verb in Archaic Biblical Poetry: A Discursive, Typological, and Historical Investigation of the Tense System. Leiden: Brill.

Qafaḥ, Yosef. 1965. The Psalms with Translation and Commentary of Saadia Gaon (Hebrew). Jerusalem: The American Academy for Jewish Research.

Raabe, Paul R. 1990. Psalm Structures : A Study of Psalms with Refrains. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

Radak. Radak on Psalms.

Ramond, Sophie. 2017. "L'expérience du Temps Éprouvé et le Registre Sapientiel du Psaume 39," Revue Biblique 124, no. 4: 490–506.

Sjörs, Ambjörn & Canu Højgaard, Christian. 2026. "Oblique Arguments," in The Cambridge Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited by Geoffrey Khan et al. Cambridge: University of Cambridge and Open Book Publishers.

van der Lugt, Pieter. 2006. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry: with Special Reference to the First Book of the Psalter. Leiden: Brill.

Weiss, Meir. 1994. "Psalm 39" (Hebrew). Pages 627–646 in The Bible in Light of its Interpreters. Sarah Kamin Memorial Volume. Edited by Sara Japhet. Jerusalem: Magnes Press.

Weitzman, Michael. P. 1999. The Syriac Version of the Old Testament: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Footnotes

39