Psalms 39

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. It is thought by some, that this Psalm (which David deli^ vered afterward to Jeduthun, an excellent musician, and governor of the music in the tabernacle, 1 Chron. xxv.) was made upon the same occasion with the foregoing. And so in part it was; for though there is little reason to think that he was still sick when he composed it (as they imagine); yet his enemies, it is manifest, pressed him sorely. And the consideration of the flourishing condition wherein they were, though very wicked (whilst he, a pious servant of God, was lamentably afflicted), put him into some commotion, notwithstanding his resolution to the contrary; till the thoughts of the shortness of man’s life, and consequently of his sufferings, and how easy it was for God to cut off his enemies, composed his spirit again, and made him patient and contented with his present condition. So that this Psalm seems to me to be rather of the same kind with the thirty-seventh than the thirty-eighth. Only there David gives counsel to others, after God had delivered him from many persecutions, to be patient by his example: but here he himself puts that counsel in practice (perhaps, when the rebellion of Absalom renewed his trouble, which is the opinion of Theodorct); though he shews it is very difficult, on some occasions, not to be very much disturbed at wicked men’s prosperity, and good men’s afflictions, especially when it comes to bo a man’s own case under some grievous calamity. against my adversaries, should proceed out of iny. mouth, (2Sam.xvi. 8. 13.) Vcr. 2. I was dumb rvith silence: I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.’] And this purpose I kept for some time so steadfastly, that I spake not a word, either good or bad, but remained, like a dumb man, in perfect silence; being so afraid of breaking out into impatient language against my unjust accusers, that I would not so much as vindicate myself, and clear my innocence. Though the truth is, while I thus denied all vent to my inward grief (which I could not qui tesuppress),it was the more increased. Vcr. 3. My heart was hot within me; ivhile I teas musing the fire burned: then spake Iivith my tongue.] For though I said nothing, yet I could not choose but have many sad thoughts of the injuries I suffered; and musing long upon them, and upon the impunity of those who committed them, my sorrow grew so great at last, that it could no longer be pent up; but, burning like a fire, with vehement heat, in my breast, it broke forth into such expressions as these:

Psalms 39:1

JL SAID, I will take heed to my zvays, that I siii not tvith my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. It is a very great provocation to anger and discontent to see the wicked still continuo prosperous, and to hear how they abuse and calumniate me. But I resolved with myself not to be vexed at it; but rather to take care, as I have exhorted others, (Psal. xxxvii.) to be more inoffensive in all my actions; and especially to watch over my tongue, and to lay the strictest restraint upon it, that no indecent complaint, no irreverent discourse about God’s providence, no, nor any intemperate speeches

Psalms 39:4

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Lord, I do not murmur nor repine at my sufferings; but that I may be able to bear them still patiently, make me sensible, I humbly beseech thee, how short this frail life is, and how soon it will have an end; that, duly considering this, I may be the less concerned ahout the miseries I endure, which will end together with it.

Psalms 39:5

Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. And it is’.strange I should forget it, seeing it is so apparent thou hast circumscribed my days within a very narrow compass, and 4hat, compared with thy eternal duration, they are just nothing. Besides, there is no man so strong, so firm, but he may die in an instant (as my enemies may do), in the height of his prosperity, and most flourishing condition: for be he never so settled as he thinks in his greatness, it is certain he is mere emptiness and vanity. Ver. G. Surely every man walketh in a vain sliow; surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.] What an imaginary thing then is the life of man! who promises himself mighty matters, but hath no more than the image and shadow of them in his brain; for on a sudden he himself vanishes, and is gone: yet for these he makes a lamentable bustle and stir, whereby, if he get any thing, alas! it is to very small purpose; for after all the pains he hath taken to heap up wealth, he hath no certainty whether he shall live to enjoy it; no, nor whether his son, or his kindred (for perhaps a stranger, nay, his enemy), shall possess it.

Psalms 39:7

And now, Lord, ichat wait I for? my hope is in thee. And therefore I am resolved, O Lord, with thy gracious assistance, not to trouble myself so much as I have done about these vain and uncertain things: for what is there even in a kingdom, that I should desire and expect it impatiently, which may so soon be lost again? I have done with all these empty hopes, and content myself with this alone; that thou wilt not forsake mc, but be my gracious God, and choose what is best for mo.

Psalms 39:8

Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish. And, first, 1 hope thou wilt forgive me all those sins, which have justly deserved these heavy punishments; and then shew mc so much favour, that wicked men, who are so foolish, that they understand not thy meaning in these afflictions which have befallen me, but imagine thou hast cast me off, may not make me their laughing-stock, nor mock at my reliance on thee, and patient submission to thee.

Psalms 39:9

I was dumb, I. opened not my mouth’; because thou didst it. . For I did not complain, but silently endure their insolent and scurrilous language, together with all my other sufferings; reverencing thy justice, by, whom every thing is ordered: (2 Sam. xvi. 10.) and this they interpreted to be yielding the cause, and justifying their proceedings against me.

Psalms 39:10

Remove thy stroke away from me: I am con-, sumedby the blow of thine hand. May it please thee, therefore, who hath inflicted sore judgments on me, at length to. remove them: put a speedy end to them (if thou intendest to confute their foolish reproaches); because I cannot long, subsist under such a burden, as hath already taken away all my strength from me. Vcr. 11. When thou with rebukes doth correct man for iniquity^ thou makest his beauty to consume away like a. moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.] And, indeed, who is able to contend with thee, if thou wilt not graciously,, remit the punishment we deserve? For when thou chastisest man (in any of those ways whereby thou hast threatened to rebuke his extravagance), his wealth, his power, and whatsoever else he hath that is valuable, moulders away like a garment that is moth-eaten: and it is no wonder; for the greatest of men, as well as the meanest, are! but mere vanity.

Psalms 39:12

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger., with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. But let even this move thee, O Lord, to grant. my petition, which I. make for pardon and release from this chastisement. Because I am so frail (as all my forefathers were), and our time here is so very short, that I am more like a stranger and sojourner in this country, than an inhabitant or lord of it (as I lately thought myself); therefore grant my earnest request: and when I say nothing, but silently subr mit to thy correction, let my tears speak for me, and prevail with thee for some mercy.

Psalms 39:13

O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more. Forbear me, I beseech thee, and do not proceed thus to afflict me: but repair the decays that are in my strength, and let the very few days I have to live be. more peaceable; that, free from the disturbance my enemies give me, I may do thee some small service before I leave the world, and have nothing to do in it any more..