Psalms 39:1

Context

Psalm 39¹

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

39:1 I decided,² “I will watch what I say

and make sure I do not sin with my tongue.³

I will put a muzzle over my mouth

while in the presence of an evil man.”⁴

[39:1] ¹sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.

[39:1] ²tn Heb “I said.”

[39:1] ³tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”

[39:1] ⁴sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the Lord (see vv. 4-6), but he hesitated to do so in the presence of evil men, for such words might be sinful if they gave the wicked an occasion to insult God. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 1:345.