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King James Version
Psalms 39:1
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I said, “I will guard my waysso that I may not sin with my tongue;I will guard my mouth with a muzzleas long as the wicked are in my presence.”
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To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence."For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
I said, "I will be careful how I act and will not sin by what I say. I will be careful what I say around wicked people."For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
I decided, "I will watch what I say and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. I will put a muzzle over my mouth while in the presence of an evil man."I said, "I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth While the wicked are in my presence."
I said, "I will keep watch over my ways So that I do not sin with my tongue; I will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence."
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To the excellent musician Ieduthun. A Psalme of Dauid. I thought, I will take heede to my wayes, that I sinne not with my tongue: I will keepe my mouth brideled, while the wicked is in my sight.
I said, "I will keep watch over my waysThat I may not sin with my tongue;I will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzleWhile the wicked are in my presence."
For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, "I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present."
(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)
I told myself, "I'll be careful not to sin by what I say, and I'll muzzle my mouth when evil people are near."For the leader. Set in the style of Y'dutun. A psalm of David:
To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked is before me.To the director, Jeduthun. A song of David.
I said, "I will be careful about what I say. I will not let my tongue cause me to sin. I will keep my mouth closed when I am around wicked people."I SAID, I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep the words of my mouth under control while the wicked is before me.
I said, "I will be careful about what I do and will not let my tongue make me sin; I will not say anything while evil people are near."
For the music director. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
I said, "I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue. I will keep a muzzle over my mouth as long as the wicked are before me."To the chief musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will keep my ways from sinning with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a muzzle while the wicked are before me.
I sayde: I wil kepe my waies, that I offended not in my tonge.
For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.For the Leader, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
[To the chiefe Musician, euen to Ieduthun, A Psalme of Dauid.] I sayd, I will take heede to my waies, that I sinne not with my tongue: I will keepe my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
I sayde [to my selfe] I wyll take heede to my wayes, that I offende not in my tongue: I wyll kepe my mouth as it were with a brydell, whylest the vngodly is in my syght.
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner stood in my presence.
For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
The title of the eiyte and threttithe salm. For victorie, to Iditum, the song of Dauid. I seide, Y schal kepe my weies; that Y trespasse not in my tunge. I settide kepyng to my mouth; whanne a synnere stood ayens me.
For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I don't sin with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
To the chief Musician, [even] to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
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."
For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.
I said to myself, "I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me."I said, "I will watch my ways so I may not sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth shut as if it were tied with ropes, while the sinful are near me."
To the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
I said, "I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence."(38-1) <Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David.> (38-2) I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.
To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will bridle my mouth, so long as the wicked are in my presence."
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 [is] before me.'
A David Psalm I'm determined to watch steps and tongue so they won't land me in trouble. I decided to hold my tongue as long as Wicked is in the room. "Mum's the word," I said, and kept quiet. But the longer I kept silence The worse it got— my insides got hotter and hotter. My thoughts boiled over; I spilled my guts.
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
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."Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
I said: Psalms 119:9, 1 Kings 2:4, 2 Kings 10:31, Proverbs 4:26, Proverbs 4:27, Hebrews 2:1
that I: Psalms 12:4, Psalms 73:8, Psalms 73:9, Psalms 141:3, Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 21:23
my mouth: etc. Heb. a bridle, or muzzle, for my mouth, James 1:26, James 3:2-8
while: Amos 5:13, Micah 7:5, Micah 7:6, Colossians 4:5
Reciprocal: Exodus 23:13 - be circumspect 2 Kings 18:36 - held their peace Job 2:10 - In all this Job 6:24 - I will Job 22:3 - thou makest Psalms 17:3 - I am Psalms 34:13 - Keep Psalms 101:3 - set Psalms 106:33 - he spake Proverbs 10:19 - but Proverbs 13:3 - General Isaiah 36:21 - General Mark 14:61 - he held Luke 23:9 - but John 8:6 - as though James 3:3 - General 1 John 5:18 - keepeth
Cross-References
And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I said,.... That is, in his heart; he purposed and determined within himself to do as follows; and he might express it with his mouth, and so his purpose became a promise;
I will take heed to my ways; as every good man should; that is, to all his actions, conduct, and conversation: it becomes him to take heed what ways he walks in; that they are the ways of God, which he directs to; that they are the ways of Christ, which he has left an example to follow in; and that they are according to the word of God; that he walks in Christ, the way of salvation, and by faith on him; that he chooses and walks in the way of truth, and not error; and in all, the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; and in the path of holiness, in which, though fools, they shall not err: and it is also necessary that he should take heed that he does nothing, either by embracing error, or going into immorality, by which the ways of God, and Christ, and truth, are evil spoken of, blasphemed and reproached; and that he does not depart out of these ways, nor stumble, slip, and fall in them;
that I sin not with my tongue; which is a world of iniquity, and has a multitude of vices belonging to it; not only in profane men, but in professors of religion; whom it becomes to take heed that they sin not with it, by lying one to another, by angry and passionate expressions, by corrupt communication, filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, which are not convenient; by whispering, talebearing, backbiting, and by evil speaking one of another: particularly there are vices of the tongue, which the saints are liable to under afflictive providences, and seem chiefly designed here; such as envious expressions at the prosperity of others; words of impatience under their own afflictions, and murmurings at the hand of God upon them; such as these the psalmist determined, within himself, to guard against; in order to which he proposed to take the following method;
I will keep my mouth with a bridle: that is, bridle his tongue, that being an unruly member, and to be kept in with bit and bridle, like an unruly horse; see James 1:26;
while the wicked is before me; or "against me" t; meaning either while Ahithophel and Absalom were conspiring and rebelling against him, and Shimei was cursing him, under which he behaved with great silence, calmness, and patience; see 2 Samuel 15:25; or while he had the flourishing condition of wicked men in his view, and was meditating on it; or rather, when anyone of them came to visit him in his affliction, he was determined to be wholly silent, that they might have no opportunity of rejoicing over him, nor of reproaching him, and the good ways of God: and indeed it is proper for the people of God to be always upon their guard, when they are in the presence of wicked men; and be careful what they utter with their lips, who watch their words to improve them against them, and the religion they profess.
t ×× ××× "adversum me", V. L. "contra me", Cocceius; so the Targum.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
I said - This refers to a resolution which he had formed. He does not say, however, at what time of his life the resolution was adopted, or how long a period had elapsed from the time when he formed the resolution to the time when he thus made a record of it. He had formed the resolution on some occasion when he was greatly troubled with anxious thoughts; when, as the subsequent verses show, his mind was deeply perplexed about the divine administration, or the dealings of God with mankind. It would seem that this train of thought was suggested by his own particular trials Psalms 39:9-10, from which he was led to reflect on the mysteries of the divine administration in general, and on the fact that man had been subjected by his Creator to so much trouble and sorrow - and that, under the divine decree, human life was so short and so vain.
I will take heed to my ways - To wit, in respect to this matter. I will be cautious, circumspect, prudent. I will not offend or pain the heart of others. The particular thing here referred to was, the resolution not to give utterance to the thoughts which were passing in his mind in regard to the divine administration. He felt that he was in danger, if he stated what he thought on the subject, of saying things which would do injury, or which he would have occasion to regret, and he therefore resolved to keep silent.
That I sin not with my tongue - That I do not utter sentiments which will be wrong, and which I shall have occasion to repent; sentiments which would do injury to those who are already disposed to find ground of complaint against God, and who would thus be furnished with arguments to confirm them in their views. Good men often have such thoughts passing through their minds; thoughts reflecting on the government of God as unequal and severe; thoughts which, if they were suggested, would tend to confirm the wicked and the skeptical in their views; thoughts which they hope, in respect to themselves, to be able to calm down by meditation and prayer, but which would do only unmitigated harm if they were communicated to other men, especially to wicked people.
I will keep my mouth with a bridle - The word used here means rather a âmuzzle,â or something placed âoverâ the mouth. The bridle is to restrain or check or guide the horse; the muzzle was something to bind or fasten the mouth so as to prevent biting or eating. Deuteronomy 25:4 : âthou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.â See the notes at 1 Corinthians 9:9. The meaning here is, that he would restrain himself from uttering what was passing in his mind.
While the wicked is before me - In their presence. He resolved to do this, as suggested above, lest if he should utter what was passing in his own mind - if he should state the difficulties in regard to the divine administration which he saw and felt - if he should give expression to the skeptical or hard thoughts which occurred to him at such times, it would serve only to confirm them in their wickedness, and strengthen them in their alienation from God. A similar state of feeling, and on this very subject, is referred to by the psalmist Psalms 73:15, where he says that if he should utter what was really passing in his mind, it would greatly pain and offend those who were the true children of God; would fill their minds with doubts and difficulties which might never occur to themselves: âIf I say, I will speak thus; behold, I shall offend against the generation of thy children.â As illustrations of this state of feeling in the minds of good men, and as evidence of the fact that, as in the case of the psalmist, their existence in the mind, even in the severest and the most torturing form, is not proof that the man in whose bosom they arise is not a truly pious man, I make the following extracts as expressing the feelings of two of the most sincere and devoted Christian men that ever lived - both eminently useful, both in an eminent degree ornaments to the Church, Cecil and Payson: âI have read all the most acute, and learned, and serious infidel writers, and have been really surprised at their poverty. The process of my mind has been such on the subject of revelation, that I have often thought Satan has done more for me than the best of them, for I have had, and could have produced, arguments that appeared to me far more weighty than any I ever found in them against revelation.â - Cecil. Dr. Payson says in a letter to a friend: âThere is one trial which you cannot know experimentally: it is that of being obliged to preach to others when one doubts of everything, and can scarcely believe that there is a God. All the atheistical, deistical, and heretical objections which I meet with in books are childish babblings compared with those which Satan suggests, and which he urges upon the mind with a force which seems irresistible. Yet I am often obliged to write sermons, and to preach when these objections beat upon me like a whirlwind, and almost distract me.â
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
PSALM XXXIX
The psalmist's care and watchfulness over his thoughts, tongue,
and actions, 1-3.
He considers the brevity and uncertainty of human life, 4-7;
prays for deliverance from sin, 8-11;
and that he may be protected and spared till he is fitted for
another world, 12, 13.
NOTES ON PSALM XXXIX
The title says, To the chief Musician, Jeduthun himself, A Psalm of David. It is supposed that this Jeduthun is the same with Ethan, 1 Chronicles 6:44, compared with 1 Chronicles 16:41; and is there numbered among the sons of Merari. And he is supposed to have been one of the four masters of music, or leaders of bands, belonging to the temple. And it is thought that David, having composed this Psalm, gave it to Jeduthun and his company to sing. But several have supposed that Jeduthun himself was the author. It is very likely that this Psalm was written on the same occasion with the preceding. It relates to a grievous malady by which David was afflicted after his transgression with Bath-sheba. See what has been said on the foregoing Psalm.
Verse Psalms 39:1. I said, I will take heed to my ways — I must be cautious because of my enemies; I must be patient because of my afflictions; I must be watchful over my tongue, lest I offend my GOD, or give my adversaries any cause to speak evil of me.
