The Vanity of Life.
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute and silent,
# Irefrainedevenfrom good,
# And mysorrow grew worse.
3 My heart was hot within me,
While I was musing the fire burned;
ThenI spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, make me to know my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.
5 “Behold, You have made my daysashandbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
6 “Surely every man walks about asa phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amassesrichesand does not know who will gather them.
7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.
8 “Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
9 “I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is You who have doneit.
10 “Remove Your plague from me;
Because of the opposition of Your hand I am perishing.
11 “With reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;
You consume as a moth what is precious to him;
Surely every man is a mere breath. Selah.
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner like all my fathers.
13 “Turn Your gaze away from me, that I maysmileagain
Before I depart and am no more.”
—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/PSA/39-a16b43a1d34abbd958791f03a4bba69c.mp3?version_id=100—