Study Desk

For the choir director, for ^[a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

I said, "I will ^(a)guard my ways That I ^(b)may not sin with my tongue; I will guard ^(c)my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence."

I was ^(d)mute ^[b]and silent, I ^[c]refrained even from good, And my ^[d]sorrow grew worse.

My ^(e)heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue:

" Lord , make me to know ^(f)my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how ^(g)transient I am.

"Behold, You have made ^(h)my days as handbreadths, And my ⁽ⁱ⁾lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man ^[e]at his best is ^[f]a mere ^(j)breath. ^[g]Selah.

"Surely every man ^(k)walks about as ^[h]a phantom; Surely they make an ^(l)uproar for nothing; He ^(m)amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.

"And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My ⁽ⁿ⁾hope is in You.

"^(o)Deliver me from all my transgressions; Make me not the ^(p)reproach of the foolish.

"I have become ^(q)mute, I do not open my mouth, Because it is ^(r)You who have done it.

"^(s)Remove Your plague from me; Because of ^(t)the opposition of Your hand I am ^[i]perishing.

"With ^(u)reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity; You ^(v)consume as a moth what is precious to him; Surely ^(w)every man is a mere breath. Selah.

"^(x)Hear my prayer, O Lord , and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent ^(y)at my tears; For I am ^(z)a stranger with You, A ^(aa)sojourner like all my fathers.

"^(ab)Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may ^[j]smile again Before I depart and am no more."