1 I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.”

To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. -- A Psalm of David. I have said, `I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked before me.'

2 I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up.

I was dumb silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited.

3 M y heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

Hot my heart within me, In my meditating doth the fire burn, I have spoken with my tongue.

4 “ Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am.

`Cause me to know, O Jehovah, mine end, And the measure of my days -- what it,' I know how frail I.

5 I ndeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah

Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity every man set up. Selah.

6 S urely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.

Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

7 “ And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

And, now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope -- it of Thee.

8 D eliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.

From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not.

9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it.

I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou -- Thou hast done.

10 R emove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.

Turn aside from off me Thy stroke, From the striving of Thy hand I have been consumed.

11 W hen with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah

With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity every man. 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, as all my fathers were.

Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I with Thee, A settler like all my fathers.

13 R emove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more.”

Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!