Tehillim · Psalms
Tehillim Chapter 39
- Author:
- Yedutun
- 14 verses
- Book One
- Reading time:
- 1 min
- Day 7 of monthly cycle
Chapter 39 of Tehillim belongs to Book One (chapters 1 through 41), and is traditionally attributed to Yedutun. It contains 14 verses in vocalized Hebrew from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, paired with the JPS 1917 English translation (both public domain).
- לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לידיתון [לִֽידוּת֗וּן] מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
- אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה דְרָכַי֮ מֵחֲט֪וֹא בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה לְפִ֥י מַחְס֑וֹם בְּעֹ֖ד רָשָׁ֣ע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃
- נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי ד֭וּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי מִטּ֑וֹב וּכְאֵבִ֥י נֶעְכָּֽר׃
- חַם־לִבִּ֨י ׀ בְּקִרְבִּ֗י בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י תִבְעַר־אֵ֑שׁ דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃
- הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה ׀ קִצִּ֗י וּמִדַּ֣ת יָמַ֣י מַה־הִ֑יא אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה מֶה־חָדֵ֥ל אָֽנִי׃
- הִנֵּ֤ה טְפָח֨וֹת ׀ נָ֘תַ֤תָּה יָמַ֗י וְחֶלְדִּ֣י כְאַ֣יִן נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ אַ֥ךְ כָּֽל־הֶ֥בֶל כָּל־אָ֝דָ֗ם נִצָּ֥ב סֶֽלָה׃
- אַךְ־בְּצֶ֤לֶם ׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶהֱמָי֑וּן יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַ֥ע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם׃
- וְעַתָּ֣ה מַה־קִּוִּ֣יתִי אֲדֹנָ֑י תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗י לְךָ֣ הִֽיא׃
- מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעַ֥י הַצִּילֵ֑נִי חֶרְפַּ֥ת נָ֝בָ֗ל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃
- נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי לֹ֣א אֶפְתַּח־פִּ֑י כִּ֖י אַתָּ֣ה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃
- הָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י נִגְעֶ֑ךָ מִתִּגְרַ֥ת יָ֝דְךָ֗ אֲנִ֣י כָלִֽיתִי׃
- בְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹת עַל־עָוֺ֨ן ׀ יִסַּ֬רְתָּ אִ֗ישׁ וַתֶּ֣מֶס כָּעָ֣שׁ חֲמוּד֑וֹ אַ֤ךְ הֶ֖בֶל כָּל־אָדָ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃
- שִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־תְפִלָּתִ֨י ׀ יְהוָ֡ה וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י ׀ הַאֲזִינָה֮ אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י אַֽל־תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ כִּ֤י גֵ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י עִמָּ֑ךְ תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָֽי׃
- הָשַׁ֣ע מִמֶּ֣נִּי וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה בְּטֶ֖רֶם אֵלֵ֣ךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃
English translation (JPS 1917)
- For the Leader, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
- I said: 'I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue; I will keep a curb upon my mouth, While the wicked is before me.'
- I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, had no comfort; And my pain was held in check.
- My heart waxed hot within me; While I was musing, the fire kindled; Then spoke I with my tongue:
- 'LORD, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how short-lived I am.
- Behold, Thou hast made my days as hand-breadths; And mine age is as nothing before Thee; Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah
- Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; Surely for vanity they are in turmoil; He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
- And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope, it is in Thee.
- Deliver me from all my transgressions; Make me not the reproach of the base.
- I am dumb, I open not my mouth; Because Thou hast done it.
- Remove Thy stroke from off me; I am consumed by the blow of Thy hand.
- With rebukes dost Thou chasten man for iniquity, And like a moth Thou makest his beauty to consume away; Surely every man is vanity. Selah
- Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; Keep not silence at my tears; For I am a stranger with Thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
- Look away from me, that I may take comfort, Before I go hence, and be no more.'
Tehillim Chapter 39: questions and answers
Who wrote Tehillim chapter 39?
According to traditional Jewish attribution, chapter 39 was authored by Yedutun. The book of Tehillim (Psalms) contains 150 chapters compiled by King David, including psalms by ten additional psalmists: Asaph, the sons of Korach, Moses, Heman, Ethan, and others.
How many verses does Psalm 39 have?
Psalm 39 contains 14 verses. The average unhurried reading time is about 1 minute.
Which of the Five Books of Psalms is chapter 39 in?
Chapter 39 belongs to Book One (chapters 1 through 41). Parallel to Genesis of the Torah's five books.
When is Psalm 39 read in the 30-day cycle?
Following the traditional 30-day cycle for reading the entire Tehillim once a month, Psalm 39 is read on day 7.
Is the Hebrew text of Psalm 39 pointed (with nikud)?
Yes. The Hebrew text comes from the Westminster Leningrad Codex via the Sefaria public-domain project, including full nikud (vowel pointing) and ta'amei mikra (cantillation marks).
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