Psalm 39

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Settings by composers

Samuel Babcock STB (English, Isaac Watts' metrical paraphrase, Part 3) Robert Barber SATB (vv. 13-15, BCP) Daniel Belknap to the tune 'Penobscot' SATB (English, Isaac Watts' metrical paraphrase, Part 2) to the tune 'Westborough' STB (English, Isaac Watts' metrical paraphrase, Part 2) William Billings SATB (English, Isaac Watts' metrical paraphrase, Part 2) Oliver Brownson SATB (English, Isaac Watts' metrical paraphrase, Part 2) Jacob French SATB (English, Isaac Watts' metrical paraphrase, Part 2, st. 4) Orlando Gibbons SAATB (vv. 6-8, 13-15, English BCP) Maurice Greene SATB (vv. 5-8,13,15, English BCP) Oliver Holden SATB (vv. 9-13, metrical version by Isaac Watts) Israel Holdroyd SATB (English, metrical Old Version) Constantijn Huygens S solo (vv. 9-11, Latin)

Stephen Jenks SATB (English, Isaac Watts' paraphrase. st. 4, 6) Joseph Key SATB (starting at v. 5, English metrical Old Version) Orlando di Lasso SATB.SATBar (vv. 2-4, Latin) Matthew Locke SSATB (vv. 5-8, 12-15, English, BCP) Hubert Parry SATB.SATB (vv. 5-15, BCP) Richard Perrignon S or T & organ (English) Philippe Rogier SSATTB (vv. 5,7 - Latin) Heinrich Schütz (German, metrical version by Cornelius Becker) Timothy Swan SATB (English, Isaac Watts' paraphrase) Thomas Tomkins STTBB (vv. 5-8, BCP) Thomas Tomkins STTB or SATB (vv. 13-15, BCP) Samuel Webbe SSB (vv. 9-14, English metrical version by James Merrick) Merit Woodruff SATB (English, Isaac Watts paraphrase, Part 2)

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Samuel Babcock — Humility  English STB
• Daniel Belknap — Penobscot  English SATB
• Daniel Belknap — Westborough  English STB
• William Billings — Cobham  English SATB
• Oliver Brownson — Brownson  English SATB
• Jacob French — Vanity  English SATB
• Orlando Gibbons — Behold, Thou hast made my days  English SAATB
• Maurice Greene — Lord, let me know mine end  English SATB
• Oliver Holden — Submission  English SATB
• Israel Holdroyd — Psalm 39  English SATB
• Constantijn Huygens — Ab omnibus iniquitatibus  Latin S
• Robert Barber II — Hear my prayer, O Lord  English SATB
• Stephen Jenks — Religion  English SATB
• Joseph Key — Lord, number out my life and days  English SATB
• Orlando di Lasso — Dixi custodiam vias meas  Latin SATB.SATB
• Matthew Locke — Lord, let me know mine end  English SSATB
• Charles Hubert Hastings Parry — Lord, let me know mine end  English SATB.SATB
• Richard Perrignon — Psalm 39, I waited for the Lord  English S, T
• Dominique Phinot — Auribus percipe Domine  Latin SATTB
• Philippe Rogier — Locutus sum in lingua mea  Latin SSATTB
• Heinrich Schütz — In meinem Herzen hab ich mir, SWV 136  German SATB
• Timothy Swan — Poland  English SATB
• Thomas Tomkins — Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears  English STTB, SATB
• Thomas Tomkins — O Lord, let me know mine end  English STTBB
• Saloman Tozar — O Lord, let me know mine end  English SATB
• Merit Woodruff — Tolland  English SATB

 

Text and translations

Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 38) Latin text 1  In finem, ipsi Idithun. Canticum David. 2  Dixi: Custodiam vias meas:   ut non delinquam in lingua mea.   Posui ori meo custodiam,   cum consisteret peccator adversum me. 3  Obmutui, et humiliatus sum, et silui a bonis;   et dolor meus renovatus est. 4  Concaluit cor meum intra me;   et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis. 5  Locutus sum in lingua mea:   Notum fac mihi, Domine, finem meum,   et numerum dierum meorum quis est, ut sciam quid desit mihi. 6  Ecce mensurabiles posuisti dies meos,   et substantia mea tamquam nihilum ante te.   Verumtamen universa vanitas, omnis homo vivens. 7  Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo;   sed et frustra conturbatur:   thesaurizat et ignorat cui congregabit ea. 8  Et nunc quae est exspectatio mea: nonne Dominus?   et substantia mea apud te est. 9  Ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis erue me:   opprobrium insipienti dedisti me. 10  Obmutui, et non aperui os meum, quoniam tu fecisti; 11  amove a me plagas tuas. 12  A fortitudine manus tuae ego defeci in increpationibus:   propter iniquitatem corripuisti hominem.   Et tabescere fecisti sicut araneam animam ejus:   verumtamen vane conturbatur omnis homo. 13  Exaudi orationem meam, Domine,   et deprecationem meam;   auribus percipe lacrimas meas.   Ne sileas, quoniam advena ego sum apud te,   et peregrinus sicut omnes patres mei. 14  Remitte mihi, ut refrigerer priusquam abeam   et amplius non ero.

Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer English text   A song of David. 1  I said, I will take heed to my ways:   that I offend not in my tongue. 2  I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle:   while the ungodly is in my sight. 3  I held my tongue, and spake nothing:   I kept silence, yea, even from good words;   but it was pain and grief to me. 4  My heart was hot within me,   and while I was thus musing the fire kindled:   and at the last I spake with my tongue; 5  Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days:   that I may be certified how long I have to live. 6  Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long:   and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee;   and verily every man living is altogether vanity. 7  For man walketh in a vain shadow,   and disquieteth himself in vain:   he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. 8  And now, Lord, what is my hope:   truly my hope is even in thee. 9  Deliver me from all mine offences:   and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish. 10  I became dumb, and opened not my mouth: for it was thy doing. 11  Take thy plague away from me:   I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand. 12  When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin,   thou makest his beauty to consume away,   like as it were a moth fretting a garment:   every man therefore is but vanity. 13  Hear my prayer, O Lord,   and with thine ears consider my calling:   hold not thy peace at my tears. 14  For I am a stranger with thee:   and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. 15  O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength:   before I go hence, and be no more seen.

Metrical 'Old Version' (John Hopkins) English text I said, I will look to my ways, For fear I should go wrong; I will take heed all times that I Offend not with my tongue As with a bit I will keep fast My mouth with force and might, Not once to whisper all the while The wicked are in sight. I held my tongue and spake no word, But kept me close and still; Yea, from good talk I did refrain, But sore against my will. My heart grew hot within my breast: With musing, though, and doubt, Which did increase and stir the fire, At last these words burst out; Lord, number out my life and days, Which yet I have not passed, So that I may be certified How long my life shall last. For thou hast pointed out my life, In length much like a span; My age is nothing unto thee, So vain is every man! Man walketh like a shade, and doth In vain himself annoy, In getting goods, and cannot tell Who shall the same enjoy. Therefore, O Lord, what wait I for? What help do I desire? Truly my hope is ev'n in thee, I nothing else require. From all the sins that I have done, Lord, quit me out of hand, And make me not a scorn to fools, That nothing understand. I was so dumb that to complain No trouble could me move, Because I knew it was thy work My patience for to prove. Lord, take from me thy scourge and plague, I cannot them withstand; I faint and pine away for fear Of thy most heavy hand. When thou for sin dost man rebuke, He waxeth pale and wan, As doth a cloth that moths have fret; So vain a thing is man. Lord, hear my suit and give good heed, Regard my tears that fall; I sojourn like a stranger here, As did my fathers all. O spare a little, give me space My strength for to restore Before I go away from hence, And shall be seen no more.

Metrical version by James Merrick English text 1  My steps discretion's rules shall guide; Nor error from my lips shall slide, (Thus to myself resolv'd I said;) Nor word, in wisdom's scale unweigh'd 2  While lawless crowds attend me nigh, And mark me with insidious eye, Behold me with the steady rein Each effort of my tongue restrain. 3  Awhile my soul its purpose keeps; A stubborn silence seals my lips: But O! from themes of good withheld, How oft my full-swoll'n heart rebell'd! 4  My thoughts in various tumult roll; At length, impatient of control, Forth from my struggling bosom brake The kindled flame; and thus I spake: 5  Taught by thy wisdom, let me learn How soon my fabric shall return To earth, and in the silent tomb Its seat of lasting rest assume. 6  O let me, heav'nly Lord, extend My view to life's approaching end; What are my days? (a span their line) And what my age compared with thine? 7  Our life advancing to its close, While scarce its earliest dawn it knows, Swift through an empty shade we run, And vanity and man are one: 8  With anxious pain this son of care Toils to enrich an unknown heir, And, eying oft his heapy store, With vain disquiet thirsts for more. 9  Where, Lord, shall I my refuge see? On whom repose my hope but thee? O purge my guilt, nor let my foe Exulting mock my heighten'd woe. 10  Convinc'd that thy paternal hand Inflicts but what my sins demand, I speechless sat; nor plaintive word, Nor murmur, from my lips was heard, 11  But, O, in thy appointed hour Withdraw thy rod; lest Nature's pow'r, While griefs on griefs my heart assail, Unequal to the conflict, fail. 12  O, how thy chastisements impair The human form, however fair! How frail the strongest frame we see, If thou the sinner's fate decree! 13  As when the fretting moths consume The labour of the curious loom, The texture fails, the dyes decay, And all its lustre fades away. 14  Such, man, thy state! then, humbled, own That vanity and thou are one; Thyself when in the balance weigh'd A nothing, and thy life a shade. 15  To thee, great God, my knees I bend; To thee my ceaseless pray'rs ascend; O let my sorrows reach thine ears, And mark my sighs, my groans, my tears. 16  God of my fathers! here, as they, I walk the pilgrim of a day; A transient guest, thy works admire, And instant to my home retire. 17  O spare me, Lord, awhile, O spare, And nature's ruin'd strength repair, Ere, life's short circuit wander'd o'er, I perish and am seen no more.

Metrical version by Isaac Watts

English text PART I. Thus I resolved before the Lord,- "Now will I watch my tongue; Lest I let slip one sinful word, Or do my neighbor wrong." And if I'm e'er constrained to stay With men of lives profane, I'll set a double guard that day, Nor let my talk be vain. I'll scarce allow my lips to speak The pious thoughts I feel, Lest scoffers should th' occasion take To mock my holy zeal. Yet if some proper hour appear, I'll not be overawed, But let the scoffing sinners hear That I can speak for God.

PART II. Teach me the measure of my days, Thou Maker of my frame; I would survey life’s narrow space, And learn how frail I am. A span is all that we can boast, An inch or two of time; Man is but vanity and dust In all his flower and prime. See the vain race of mortals move Like shadows o’er the plain; They rage and strive, desire and love, But all the noise is vain. Some walk in honor’s gaudy show, Some dig for golden ore; They toil for heirs, they know not who, And straight are seen no more. What should I wish or wait for, then, From creatures earth and dust? They make our expectations vain, And disappoint our trust. Now I forbid my carnal hope, My fond desires recall; I give my mortal interest up, And make my God my all.

PART III. God of my life, look gently down, Behold the pains I feel; But I am dumb before thy throne, Nor dare dispute thy will. Diseases are thy servants, Lord, They come at thy command; I'll not attempt a murmering word Against thy chastening hand. Yet I may plead with humble cries, Remove thy sharp rebukes; My strength consumes, my spirit dies, Through thy repeated strokes. Crushed as a moth beneath thy hand, We moulder to the dust; Our feeble powers can ne'er withstand, And all our beauty's lost. This mortal life decays apace, How soon the bubble's broke! Adam and all his numerous race Are vanity and smoke. I'm but a sojourner below, As all my fathers were; May I be well prepared to go, When I the summons hear. But if my life be spared awhile, Before my last remove, Thy praise shall be my business still, And I'll declare thy love.

Káldi fordítás (38. zsoltár)

Hungarian translation

Végig magának, Iditunnak. Dávid éneke.
Mondám: Megőrzöm útaimat, hogy ne vétkezzem nyelvemmel; őrizet alá vetettem számat, mikor a bűnös ellenem állott.
Elnémúltam, és megalázódtam, és hallgattam a jókról: és fájdalmam megújúlt.
Szivem fölhevűlt bennem, és elmélkedésemben fölgyúlad a tűz.
Szóltam nyelvemmel: Add tudtomra nekem Uram az én végemet, és napjaim száma mennyi, hogy tudjam, mi hiával vagyok.
Ime mértékre tetted napjaimat, és az én létem előtted, mint a semmi. Valóban, merő hiúság minden élő ember.
Valóban elmúlik az ember, mint az árnykép, és hiába nyugtalankodik; kincseket gyűjt, és nem tudja, kinek gyűjti azokat.
És most mi az én várakozásom? nem az Úr-e? mert az én létem nálad vagyon.
Minden gonoszságomból szabadíts meg engem, ki a balgatagnak gyalázatúl adtál engem.
Elnémúltam, és nem nyitottam föl számat, mert te cselekedted.
Vedd el rólam csapásaidat.
A te kezed erőssége miatt én elfogytam a fenyíték alatt. A gonoszságért dorgálod az embert, és elepeszted az ő lelkét, mint a pókot; Valóban hiába aggódik minden ember.
Hallgasd meg, Uram, imádságomat és könyörgésemet, vedd figyelembe könyhullatásimat. Ne némulj el, mert jövevény vagyok én nálad és zarándok, mint atyáim mindnyájan.
Engedj nekem, hogy megenyhűljek, mielőtt elmenjek, és többé nem leszek.