The Quoted Speech in Psalm 39

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Introduction

דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃
"I spoke with my tongue"
Psalm 39:4c


The end of Psalm 39:4 introduces quoted speech. The extent of the quotation is debated. Some translations and commentators limit the speech to v. 5, while others claim that it extends through vv. 5–6a; vv. 5–6; vv. 5–7; or the rest of the psalm, vv. 5–14.[1] Compare the quotations marks provided by the following modern translations:

  • I could not keep from asking: 4[5] “Lord, how long will I live? When will I die? Tell me how soon my life will end.” (GNT)
  • Then, [at last,] I let my tongue speak: 5 “Make me grasp, Adonai, what my end must be, what it means that my days are numbered; let me know what a transient creature I am. 6 You have made my days like handbreadths; for you, the length of my life is like nothing.” Yes, everyone, no matter how firmly he stands, is merely a puff of wind. (Selah). (CJB)
  • 4[5] “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. 5[6] You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude (NLT)
  • Finally I spoke these words: 4[5] “O Lord, help me understand my mortality and the brevity of life. Let me realize how quickly my life will pass. 5[6] Look, you make my days short-lived, and my life span is nothing from your perspective. Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. (Selah) 6[7] Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” (NET)
  • then I spoke with my tongue: 4[5] “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5[6] Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 6[7] Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing[a] they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7[8] “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8[9] Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9[10] I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11[12] When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12[13] “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13[14] Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” (ESV)[2]


Also possible (though not represented in modern translations consulted) is to understand the quotation to consist of vv. 5–12.[3] We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each of these interpretations of the quoted speech in the argument maps below.

Argument Maps

V. 5

As reflected by the GNT, some argue that the quoted speech belongs only to v. 5: I could not keep from asking: 4[5] “Lord, how long will I live? When will I die? Tell me how soon my life will end.” 


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[V. 5]: The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as only consisting of v. 5 (Briggs & Briggs 1906, 344 :C:; Craigie 2004, 306 :C:; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 361 :C:).#dispreferred
 + <Other quoted speech>: Other quoted speech in Psalm 39 lasts only one verse.#dispreferred
  + [V. 2]: "I decided, 'I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue. I will keep a muzzle for my mouth while the wicked are in my presence.'" (CBC).#dispreferred
  - <Quotative frame>: While the introduction to the present speech (v. 5) is found at the end of the preceding verse (v. 4c), the structure of v. 2 is distinct in that the verb of speech is contained within the same verse. Thus, the quoted speech of v. 2 does not even span an entire Masoretic verse.
 + <Discourse marker>: Verse 5 is followed by the discourse marker "Look" (הִנֵּה) at the beginning of v. 6, indicating a discourse discontinuity and the conclusion of the quoted speech.#dispreferred
  <_ <Other discourse markers>: The discourse marker "Selah" at the end of v. 6 is a stronger indicator of discourse discontinuity.
 + <Discourse development>: There is no "logical transition \[from v. 5\] to vv. 6-7, where the psalmist is already conscious of the transience of his life" (Clifford 2000, 60–61 :A:). Therefore, the end of the quoted speech provides such a transition, in that "the question is addressed to the Lord \[in v. 5\] ... the psalmist begins to answer it himself (vv 6–7), for in framing the question, he has begun to perceive its solution" (Craigie 2004, 309 :C:). This shift from asking the question to answering it between vv. 5–6 indicates a discourse discontinuity.#dispreferred
  <_ <Characteristic of Psalm 39>: Psalm 39 is particularly characterized by its thematic tension and abrupt shifts from one speech act and emotional tenor to another (Kynes 2012, 129 :A:; Crenshaw 2012, 184 :A:), as seen most transparently throughout vv. 7–10 and 13–14, so does not require a discourse discontinuity or end of quoted speech between vv. 5–6.


Argument Mapn0V. 5The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as only consisting of v. 5 (Briggs & Briggs 1906, 344 🄲; Craigie 2004, 306 🄲; Jacobson & Tanner 2014, 361 🄲).n1V. 2"I decided, 'I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue. I will keep a muzzle for my mouth while the wicked are in my presence.'" (CBC).n2Other quoted speechOther quoted speech in Psalm 39 lasts only one verse.n1->n2n2->n0n3Quotative frameWhile the introduction to the present speech (v. 5) is found at the end of the preceding verse (v. 4c), the structure of v. 2 is distinct in that the verb of speech is contained within the same verse. Thus, the quoted speech of v. 2 does not even span an entire Masoretic verse.n3->n2n4Discourse markerVerse 5 is followed by the discourse marker "Look" (הִנֵּה) at the beginning of v. 6, indicating a discourse discontinuity and the conclusion of the quoted speech.n4->n0n5Other discourse markersThe discourse marker "Selah" at the end of v. 6 is a stronger indicator of discourse discontinuity.n5->n4n6Discourse developmentThere is no "logical transition [from v. 5] to vv. 6-7, where the psalmist is already conscious of the transience of his life" (Clifford 2000, 60–61 🄰). Therefore, the end of the quoted speech provides such a transition, in that "the question is addressed to the Lord [in v. 5] ... the psalmist begins to answer it himself (vv 6–7), for in framing the question, he has begun to perceive its solution" (Craigie 2004, 309 🄲). This shift from asking the question to answering it between vv. 5–6 indicates a discourse discontinuity.n6->n0n7Characteristic of Psalm 39Psalm 39 is particularly characterized by its thematic tension and abrupt shifts from one speech act and emotional tenor to another (Kynes 2012, 129 🄰; Crenshaw 2012, 184 🄰), as seen most transparently throughout vv. 7–10 and 13–14, so does not require a discourse discontinuity or end of quoted speech between vv. 5–6.n7->n6


Vv. 5–6a (preferred)

As reflected by the CJB, some argue that the quoted speech belongs only to v. 5: Then, [at last,] I let my tongue speak: 5 “Make me grasp, Adonai, what my end must be, what it means that my days are numbered; let me know what a transient creature I am. 6 You have made my days like handbreadths; for you, the length of my life is like nothing.” Yes, everyone, no matter how firmly he stands, is merely a puff of wind. (Selah). 


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[Vv. 5–6a]: The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as spanning vv. 5–6a.
 + <Discourse marker>: The refrain, which clearly demarcates poetic sections (Raabe 1990, 9–10 :M:), and "selah" follow the quoted speech, in the last line of v. 6. "One could argue that \[the refrain in\] 39.6c \[is\] section-initial" (Raabe 1990, 166 :M:), indicating a discourse discontinuity between vv. 6b and 6c.
  + [v. 6c]: "Truly, everyone is a breath, every person 'standing firm.' Selah." (CBC).
  <_ <v. 12>: The only other refrain in the psalm in "Ps. 39.12 appear\[s\] to be section-final" (Raabe 1990, 166 :M:).
   + [v. 12]: "You have disciplined a person with punishments on account of sin and like a moth you have caused his desirable things to disintegrate. Truly, every person is a breath. Selah." (CBC).
  - <Selah>: Both refrains in the psalm are followed by "selah." In Raabe's study of psalms with refrains, those occurring with "selah" always close poetic sections (Raabe 1990, 180 :M:; cf. Ps 46:8, 12).#dispreferred
 + <Speech situation>: The two refrains of the psalm should be found in the same speech situation. This position demarcates the refrain as outside the quoted speech, just as v. 12c also is outside the quoted speech.


Argument Mapn0Vv. 5–6aThe quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as spanning vv. 5–6a.n1v. 6c"Truly, everyone is a breath, every person 'standing firm.' Selah." (CBC).n3Discourse markerThe refrain, which clearly demarcates poetic sections (Raabe 1990, 9–10 🄼), and "selah" follow the quoted speech, in the last line of v. 6. "One could argue that [the refrain in] 39.6c [is] section-initial" (Raabe 1990, 166 🄼), indicating a discourse discontinuity between vv. 6b and 6c.n1->n3n2v. 12"You have disciplined a person with punishments on account of sin and like a moth you have caused his desirable things to disintegrate. Truly, every person is a breath. Selah." (CBC).n4v. 12The only other refrain in the psalm in "Ps. 39.12 appear[s] to be section-final" (Raabe 1990, 166 🄼).n2->n4n3->n0n4->n3n5SelahBoth refrains in the psalm are followed by "selah." In Raabe's study of psalms with refrains, those occurring with "selah" always close poetic sections (Raabe 1990, 180 🄼; cf. Ps 46:8, 12).n5->n3n6Speech situationThe two refrains of the psalm should be found in the same speech situation. This position demarcates the refrain as outside the quoted speech, just as v. 12c also is outside the quoted speech.n6->n0


Vv. 5–6

As reflected in the NLT, some argue that the quoted speech spans vv. 5–6: 4[5] “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. 5[6] You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude 


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[Vv. 5–6]: The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as spanning vv. 5–6 (Malbim :C:; Ramond 2017, 497 :A:).#dispreferred
 + <Discourse marker>: The refrain, which clearly demarcates poetic sections (Raabe 1990, 9–10 :M:), and "selah" close the quoted speech, in the last line of v. 6, indicating its structural importance and, thus, a discourse discontinuity between vv. 6 and 7.#dispreferred
  + [v. 6c]: "Truly, everyone is a breath, every person 'standing firm.' Selah." (CBC).#dispreferred
  + <v. 12>: The same refrain and "selah" are found in v. 12c, closing another discourse unit, as does v. 6.#dispreferred
   + [v. 12]: "You have disciplined a person with punishments on account of sin and like a moth you have caused his desirable things to disintegrate. Truly, every person is a breath. Selah." (CBC).#dispreferred
  <_ <Selah>: "Selah" is not always indicative of discourse discontinuity.
   + [Selah]: See, e.g., the syntactic dependence in "God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God" (Ps 55:20, ESV); "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth" (Ps 67:2–3a, ESV); and the other verse-internal "selah" in Ps 57:4: "He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!" (ESV).
  <_ <Refrain>: "One could argue that \[the refrain in\] 39.6c \[is\] section-initial" (Raabe 1990, 166 :M:), indicating discourse continuity between vv. 6c and 7.
  <_ <Speech situation>: The two refrains of the psalm should be found in the same speech situation. It is less plausible that the refrain in v. 6c belongs to the quoted speech and v. 12c does not.
 + <Participant distribution>: V. 7 is the only verse in the psalm without the presence of any of the psalm's participants (YHWH, David, the wicked), providing this verse particular salience and therefore indicating discourse discontinuity.#dispreferred
 - <Thematic continuity>: The entirety of vv. 5–7 discuss the discourse topic of the transience of humanity, so a break in the quoted speech between vv. 6–7 is unlikely.
  <_ <Discourse topic>: The same discourse topic of the transience of humanity is treated once again throughout vv. 12–14, so is not unique to vv. 5–7 and does not necessitate a discourse unit. #dispreferred


Argument Mapn0Vv. 5–6The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as spanning vv. 5–6 (Malbim 🄲; Ramond 2017, 497 🄰).n1v. 6c"Truly, everyone is a breath, every person 'standing firm.' Selah." (CBC).n4Discourse markerThe refrain, which clearly demarcates poetic sections (Raabe 1990, 9–10 🄼), and "selah" close the quoted speech, in the last line of v. 6, indicating its structural importance and, thus, a discourse discontinuity between vv. 6 and 7.n1->n4n2v. 12"You have disciplined a person with punishments on account of sin and like a moth you have caused his desirable things to disintegrate. Truly, every person is a breath. Selah." (CBC).n5v. 12The same refrain and "selah" are found in v. 12c, closing another discourse unit, as does v. 6.n2->n5n3SelahSee, e.g., the syntactic dependence in "God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God" (Ps 55:20, ESV); "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth" (Ps 67:2–3a, ESV); and the other verse-internal "selah" in Ps 57:4: "He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!" (ESV).n6Selah"Selah" is not always indicative of discourse discontinuity.n3->n6n4->n0n5->n4n6->n4n7Refrain"One could argue that [the refrain in] 39.6c [is] section-initial" (Raabe 1990, 166 🄼), indicating discourse continuity between vv. 6c and 7.n7->n4n8Speech situationThe two refrains of the psalm should be found in the same speech situation. It is less plausible that the refrain in v. 6c belongs to the quoted speech and v. 12c does not.n8->n4n9Participant distributionV. 7 is the only verse in the psalm without the presence of any of the psalm's participants (YHWH, David, the wicked), providing this verse particular salience and therefore indicating discourse discontinuity.n9->n0n10Thematic continuityThe entirety of vv. 5–7 discuss the discourse topic of the transience of humanity, so a break in the quoted speech between vv. 6–7 is unlikely.n10->n0n11Discourse topicThe same discourse topic of the transience of humanity is treated once again throughout vv. 12–14, so is not unique to vv. 5–7 and does not necessitate a discourse unit. n11->n10


Vv. 5–7

As reflected in the NET, some argue that the quoted speech spans vv. 5–7: Finally I spoke these words: 4[5] “O Lord, help me understand my mortality and the brevity of life. Let me realize how quickly my life will pass. 5[6] Look, you make my days short-lived, and my life span is nothing from your perspective. Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. (Selah) 6[7] Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” 


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[Vv. 5–7]: The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as spanning vv. 5–7 (Ḥakham 1979, 225 :C:; Botha 2017, 244 :A:; Böhler 2021, 707 :C:).#dispreferred
 + <Discourse marker>: Verse 7 is followed by the discourse marker "But now" (וְעַתָּה) at the beginning of v. 8, indicating a discourse discontinuity and the conclusion of the quoted speech.#dispreferred
  <_ <Interactional discourse marker>: This instance of וְעַתָּה is one of stance-taking, combining with the interrogative mood and vocative to manage conversation, but not necessarily begin a new discourse unit (see Messarra 2020, 113; 168 :M:).
  <_ <Other discourse markers>: The discourse marker "Selah" accompanied by the refrain at the end of v. 6 is a stronger indicator of discourse discontinuity (Raabe 1990, 9–10 :M:).
   <_ <Selah>: "Selah" is not always indicative of discourse discontinuity.#dispreferred
    + [Selah]: See, e.g., the syntactic dependence in "God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God" (Ps 55:20, ESV); "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth" (Ps 67:2–3a, ESV); and the other verse-internal "selah" in Ps 57:4: "He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!" (ESV).#dispreferred
 + <Participant distribution>: V. 7 is the only verse in the psalm without the presence of any of the psalm's participants (YHWH, David, the wicked), providing this verse particular salience and therefore indicating discourse discontinuity.#dispreferred
 - <Speech situation>: The two refrains of the psalm should be found in the same speech situation. It is less plausible that the refrain in v. 6c belongs to the quoted speech and v. 12c does not.


Argument Mapn0Vv. 5–7The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as spanning vv. 5–7 (Ḥakham 1979, 225 🄲; Botha 2017, 244 🄰; Böhler 2021, 707 🄲).n1SelahSee, e.g., the syntactic dependence in "God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God" (Ps 55:20, ESV); "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth" (Ps 67:2–3a, ESV); and the other verse-internal "selah" in Ps 57:4: "He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!" (ESV).n5Selah"Selah" is not always indicative of discourse discontinuity.n1->n5n2Discourse markerVerse 7 is followed by the discourse marker "But now" (וְעַתָּה) at the beginning of v. 8, indicating a discourse discontinuity and the conclusion of the quoted speech.n2->n0n3Interactional discourse markerThis instance of וְעַתָּה is one of stance-taking, combining with the interrogative mood and vocative to manage conversation, but not necessarily begin a new discourse unit (see Messarra 2020, 113; 168 🄼).n3->n2n4Other discourse markersThe discourse marker "Selah" accompanied by the refrain at the end of v. 6 is a stronger indicator of discourse discontinuity (Raabe 1990, 9–10 🄼).n4->n2n5->n4n6Participant distributionV. 7 is the only verse in the psalm without the presence of any of the psalm's participants (YHWH, David, the wicked), providing this verse particular salience and therefore indicating discourse discontinuity.n6->n0n7Speech situationThe two refrains of the psalm should be found in the same speech situation. It is less plausible that the refrain in v. 6c belongs to the quoted speech and v. 12c does not.n7->n0


Vv. 5–14

As reflected in the ESV, some argue that the quoted speech stretches throughout vv. 5–14:[4] then I spoke with my tongue: 4[5] “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5[6] Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 6[7] Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing[a] they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7[8] “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8[9] Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9[10] I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11[12] When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12[13] “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13[14] Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” 


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[Vv. 5–14]: The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as stretching throughout vv. 5–14 (Crenshaw 2012, 182 :A:; Gauthier 2014, 137 :M:; Botha 2017, 143 :A:; Beuken 2020, 60 :M:).#dispreferred
 + <Lack of discourse discontinuity>: Lacking any indication otherwise, the prayer continues to the end of the psalm.#dispreferred
  - <Discourse markers>: There are significant indicators of discourse discontinuity (see the previous argument maps).
  - <V. 2>: Verse 2 also contains quoted speech, which is not determined as continuing throughout the rest of the psalm.
 + <Vocatives>: The "three vocatives ... suggest a tripartite prayer (vv. 5-7, 8-12, 13-14) that is introduced by vv. 2-4" (Crenshaw 2012, 181 :A:).#dispreferred
 - <V. 10>: Verse 10 refers to the same silence spoken of prior to the quoted speech (v. 3), so makes little sense as part of the quoted speech itself.
  + [V. 10]: "I was mute. I would not open my mouth, because you acted" (CBC).


Argument Mapn0Vv. 5–14The quoted speech introduced in v. 4c should be understood as stretching throughout vv. 5–14 (Crenshaw 2012, 182 🄰; Gauthier 2014, 137 🄼; Botha 2017, 143 🄰; Beuken 2020, 60 🄼).n1V. 10"I was mute. I would not open my mouth, because you acted" (CBC).n6V. 10Verse 10 refers to the same silence spoken of prior to the quoted speech (v. 3), so makes little sense as part of the quoted speech itself.n1->n6n2Lack of discourse discontinuityLacking any indication otherwise, the prayer continues to the end of the psalm.n2->n0n3Discourse markersThere are significant indicators of discourse discontinuity (see the previous argument maps).n3->n2n4V. 2Verse 2 also contains quoted speech, which is not determined as continuing throughout the rest of the psalm.n4->n2n5VocativesThe "three vocatives ... suggest a tripartite prayer (vv. 5-7, 8-12, 13-14) that is introduced by vv. 2-4" (Crenshaw 2012, 181 🄰).n5->n0n6->n0


Conclusion (C)

For the reasons outlined above, it is entirely possible that the quoted speech introduced in v. 4c could span any of the lengths of discourse discussed in the present exegetical issue. Nevertheless, in light of the significant discourse makers throughout the psalm, vv. 5–6a, vv. 5–6, or vv. 5–7 seem to be the most plausible candidates.

Of these possibilities, the case for vv. 5–6a seems to be the strongest, since the refrain and "Selah" found at the end of v. 6 are the most compelling indicators of discourse discontinuity in comparison to the other discourse markers found throughout the psalm. Just as the refrain in v. 12c is found outside of quoted speech, so the refrain in v. 6c should be understood as outside the quoted speech. Although there seems to be consistent thematic treatment of the discourse topic throughout vv. 5–7 (the transient nature of humanity), it is not unique to this section (see also vv. 12–14), so does not preclude discourse discontinuity being found within (the same being found between v. 12 and vv. 13–14, indicated by the refrain and selah). Further, although the discourse marker "But now" (וְעַתָּה) appears to be a strong indicator of discourse discontinuity between vv. 7 and 8, it is an interactional discourse marker and manages the conversation, supplementing the shift to interrogative mood and the vocative also found in v. 8a.[5] On balance, we prefer the interpretation of vv. 5–6a as the content of the quoted speech introduced in v. 4c.

Research

Translations

Modern

V. 5

  • I could not keep from asking: 4[5] “Lord, how long will I live? When will I die? Tell me how soon my life will end.” (GNT; cf. CEB)

Vv. 5–6a

  • Then, [at last,] I let my tongue speak: 5 “Make me grasp, Adonai, what my end must be, what it means that my days are numbered; let me know what a transient creature I am. 6 You have made my days like handbreadths; for you, the length of my life is like nothing.” Yes, everyone, no matter how firmly he stands, is merely a puff of wind. (Selah). (CJB; cf. SG21)

Vv. 5–6

  • 4[5] “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. 5[6] You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude (NLT)

Vv. 5–7

  • Finally I spoke these words: 4[5] “O Lord, help me understand my mortality and the brevity of life. Let me realize how quickly my life will pass. 5[6] Look, you make my days short-lived, and my life span is nothing from your perspective. Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. (Selah) 6[7] Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” (NET; cf. LUT 2017; REB)

Vv. 5–14

  • then I spoke with my tongue: 4[5] “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5[6] Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 6[7] Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing[a] they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7[8] “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8[9] Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9[10] I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11[12] When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12[13] “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13[14] Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” (ESV; cf. CSB; NASB; NIV; RVR 95)

Secondary Literature

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.
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.
Briggs, Charles A. & Briggs, Emilie G. 1906. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Volume 1. New York, NY: C. Scribner’s Sons.
Clifford, Richard, J. 2000. "What does the Psalmist ask for in Psalms 39:5 and 90:12?" Journal of Biblical Literature 119.1: 59–66.
Craigie, Peter C. 2004. Psalms 1–50. Second edition. Nashville, TN: Nelson.
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 & Alice Hunt. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.
Gauthier, Randall X. 2014. Psalms 38 and 145 of the Old Greek Version. Leiden: Brill.
Goldingay John. 2006. Psalms 1–41. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. The Book of Psalms: Books 1–2 (in Hebrew). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.
Jacobson, Rolf A. & Tanner, Beth. 2014. “Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1–41,” in The Book of Psalms (NICOT). Grand Rapids, MI; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Kynes, Will. 2012. My Psalm Has Turned into Weeping: Job's Dialogue with the Psalms. Berlin: De Gruyter.
Malbim. Malbim on Psalms.
Messarra, John A. 2020. An Investigation of וְעַתָּה: Beyond the Temporal/Logical Bifurcation. MA Thesis, Stellenbosch University.
Raabe, Paul R. 1990. Psalm Structures : A Study of Psalms with Refrains. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Ramond, Sophie. 2017. "L’expérience du Temps Éprouvé et le Registre Sapientiel du Psaume 39," Revue Biblique 124.4: 490–506.

References

39:5

  1. ↑ An outlier is Goldingay's (2006, 557) position: "We might expect vv. 4–7[5–8] to tell us the content of the speaking v. 3[4] referred to, but they do not seem to do that. There would have been no reason to hesitate to say what appears here. More likely vv. 8–13[9–14] are the words the suppliant could not hold back; vv. 4–7[5–8] are a further preparation for uttering that prayer."
  2. ↑ Note that the ESV and others like it provide multiple opening quotation marks before closing the quoted speech at the end of the psalm, indicating distinct prayers or discourses (see below).
  3. ↑ Support for this position is found in the placement of the second refrain and its selah ("Truly, every person is a breath. Selah"; v. 12c; cf. v. 6c). Furthermore, the following verse begins with "Hear my prayer, YHWH" (v. 13a).
  4. ↑ Scholars in support of this position are not in agreement, however, on whether vv. 5–14 consist of one prayer (so Gauthier 2014, 137; Beuken 2020, 60) or three distinct prayers in vv. 5–7, 8–12, 13–14 (so Crenshaw 2012, 182 and Botha 2017, 143).
  5. ↑ Messarra 2020, 113; 168.