The Brevity of Human Life

¹ For the music director. For Jeduthun.¹ A psalm of David.² I said, “I will guard my ways ⌞that I may not sin⌟³ with my tongue. I will keep a muzzle over my mouth as long as the wicked are before me.”

1. One of David’s musicians (1 Chr 16:41)
2. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
3. Literally “from sinning”

² I was mute with silence. I was silent even from saying good things, and my pain was stirred up.

³ My heart grew hot inside me; in my sighing a fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue,

⁴ “Let me know, O Yahweh, my end, and what is the measure of my days. Let me know how transient I am.”

⁵ Look, you have made my days mere handbreadths, and my lifespan as nothing next to you. Surely every person standing firm is complete vanity. Selah

⁶ Surely a man walks about as a mere ⌞shadow⌟;¹ surely in vain they bustle about. He heaps up possessions but does not know who will gather them in.

1. Literally “image”

⁷ And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is for you.

⁸ From all my transgressions deliver me; do not make me the taunt of the fool.

⁹ I am mute. I do not open my mouth, for you, yourself, have done it.

¹⁰ Remove from me your affliction. By the opposition of your hand I perish.

¹¹ When with rebukes you chastise a man for sin, you¹ ⌞consume⌟² like a moth his delightful things. Surely everyone is a mere vapor.³ Selah

1. Hebrew “and/then you”
2. Literally “cause to melt”
3. The word translated “vanity” in vv. 6, 7

¹² Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my tears. For I am an alien¹ with you, a sojourner like all my ancestors.²

1. Or “stranger”
2. Or “fathers”

¹³ Look away from me that I may be cheerful, before I depart and I am no more.