Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Psalms Chapter 39 mean?

This psalm features themes related to those seen in Psalm 38. Both mention David’s repentance of sin and the consequences brought by God’s discipline. The Bible assigns no incident to this passage, but it may be tied to David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

David begins with a resolution to avoid speaking in the presence of certain evil people. These might have been critics, slanderers, or other enemies. His motive might have been to avoid giving them any further cause for attack. Or David might have worried his anger would cause him to speak inappropriately about the Lord. In either case, his frustration grows. Rather than holding back his feelings, David goes to God in prayer. He asks for a renewed appreciation for his own limitations. His life, and his troubles, are tiny from God’s perspective. This attitude helps David place his trust in the Lord, not other people (Psalm 39:1–7).

Next, as in parts of Psalm 38, David expresses remorse for his personal sin (Psalm 38:8, 18). Perhaps the critics he mentioned earlier were provoked by his mistake. Instead of complaining, David seems to take this in stride, recognizing God as the one ultimately responsible for rebuking sin and wrongdoing. He asks to be forgiven and rescued from his stressful situation. David properly notes that he is only passing through this world, with an ultimate destination of eternity. He pleads to be removed from under God’s judgment and restored to a condition of joy (Psalm 39:8–13).

Chapter Context
This psalm is related to Psalm 38. Both focus on David’s response to sin and the hardships which life brings. Rather than speaking out against wicked people, David asks God to remind him of the brevity of life. Job 7:16–17 parallels the themes found in this psalm. Likewise does Psalm 90. No specific incident is tied to this writing, but it may have been inspired by David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. 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.”

This psalm does not explain exactly why David is struggling. This first verse suggests that he is being confronted with wicked people, possibly critics or enemies. If these events were triggered by David’s sin (Psalm 39:8–11) he would have multiple reasons for distress. David’s concern about his speech likely comes in two forms. In one way, he would have worried that his words towards these wicked ones would be unfair; they might provide further reason to claim offense. In another, David may have been worried that his anger would cause him to speak wrongly of God, or about God.

Rather than speaking words which would be regretted later, David has committed to being silent. A “muzzle” is attached to an animal’s face to keep it from biting. In the spirit of passages such as James 3:1–5, David chooses to restrain his speech rather than risk losing control. It can be exceedingly difficult to choose silence, but this is often the best option when dealing with irrational, immoral people (Proverbs 10:19; 17:28; Matthew 7:6; Titus 3:9–11). David’s own son, Solomon, would later write about the need for such discernment. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.”

Perhaps David felt like Asaph, who had doubts about God’s fairness. Asaph suffered but saw evil people experiencing success. Those doubts shook his faith. He said, “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:2–3). Later in psalm 73, Asaph remembers the fate of wicked people. In psalm 39, David remembers his own limitations, to soothe his urge to lash out at wicked people.

Context Summary
Psalm 39:1–7 begins with David determining to remain silent so his words will not reflect poorly on God. And yet, struggling not to respond to wicked people created frustration. To ease this, David asks God for a reminder of man’s limited lifespan and power. Life is incredibly short. All human effort is nothing compared to the power of God. Those who scrabble for earthly things do so pointlessly. Rather than hoping or despairing because of other people, David places his trust in the Lord. James 4:13–16 parallels David’s thoughts about the brevity of life.

Verse 2. I was mute and silent;I held my peace to no avail,and my distress grew worse.

David had determined to refrain from speaking, presumably because he feared he might say something that would defame God’s character. No details are given about the situation which inspired this psalm. It’s possible David was being confronted by wicked people about some sin or failure on his part (Psalm 39:8–11). Perhaps he was worried that his words would be overly harsh, or that he would return slander with slander. It’s also possible David didn’t want to speak wrongly about God, or regarding God, so instead he made the difficult choice to keep silent (Psalm 39:1).

Unfortunately, this experience was frustrating. Keeping silent in the presence of these wicked ones began to wear on David. The Hebrew phrasing rendered “to no avail” can also be translated, “without success.” Some translations imply David said literally nothing: that he declined to engage these evil persons, at all (Matthew 6:7–8). Whatever David hoped to accomplish in his own heart by saying nothing, he instead became more aggravated. No insight is given as to whether his angst was driven by seeing the wicked experiencing success, their attacks on him, or simply he conviction he felt for his own sin.

A Christian may be deeply troubled by what he considers unfair action on God’s part, but he should not remain silent. This does not mean confronting those who are evil, or accusing God, but rather it means taking those conflicts to God in prayer. Keeping such things unspoken simply increases one’s frustration. When Asaph was troubled by the prosperity of the wicked, he did not allow apparent injustice to ruin his fellowship with God. Instead, he laid the matter before the Lord. He writes in Psalm 73:16–17, “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I discerned [the wicked people’s fate].”

David makes a similar choice in this psalm. When his frustration reaches a breaking point, he speaks—but to the Lord, rather than to those he sees as evil (Psalm 39:3–4).

Verse 3. My heart became hot within me.As I mused, the fire burned;then I spoke with my tongue:

David’s resolve not to speak seems to have good motives (Psalm 39:1–2). He was careful not to speak rashly, or to say something inappropriate about God (Proverbs 10:19; 17:28). Specifically, he didn’t want to speak when those he perceived as “wicked” could hear (Matthew 7:6; Titus 3:9–11). Yet the pressure of not speaking against his enemies only made him feel more distressed. His heart became hot like it was on fire. He could not stay silent any longer, so he spoke. Wisely, however, he chose to express himself to God in prayer.

It is unwise and unhealthy to refrain from speaking to God. The silence only leads to a troubled heart. Hebrews 4:15 assures believers that the Lord sympathizes with our weaknesses, one of which is surely our inability to understand why suffering is part of our life. Instead of trying to refuse to express how we feel, we should take our concerns to the Lord in prayer. Philippians 4:6–7 counsels: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Perhaps in a comparable situation, the psalmist Asaph (Psalm 73:1–3) expressed his frustrations to God. That eventually led him to a reassurance of God’s ultimate justice (Psalm 73:15–18).

Verse 4. “O Lord, make me know my endand what is the measure of my days;let me know how fleeting I am!

Experiencing distress, David has resolved not to speak in the presence of certain evil people (Psalm 39:1–3). This might have been to avoid speaking inappropriately, possibly about God. Holding one’s tongue is not easy (James 3:1–5), and David found his frustration growing. Rather than continue to hold in his angst, he speaks. But what he says is a prayer, to God, asking for a reminder of his own limitations.

David’s question here is not about knowing the exact time or nature of his death. Instead, he is asking God to help him with humility. Wicked people frustrate David, and he does not want to respond sinfully. So, he asks God to work on his own heart. Being reminded of the short, fragile, imperfect nature of all humanity would make David less concerned over his current issues.

Proverbs 27:1 stresses the uncertainty of life by saying, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” No one can predict when his life will end. It is best, therefore, to measure one’s days (Psalm 90:12) and endeavor to do God’s will every day (James 4:13–17). While life continues, the wise believer seeks God’s kingdom and doesn’t put unnecessary worry in tomorrow (Matthew 6:33–34). Jesus told a story about a rich farmer whose land produced an abundant harvest. Instead of consulting God to determine what he should do, the rich farmer assumed his future was secure. He told his soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 12:19). But that night the man died and was judged (Luke 12:20).

Verse 5. Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,and my lifetime is as nothing before you.Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

David knew life is short, so there’s no reason to spend it in despair. In this case, he was struggling with frustration and a desire to speak out about wicked people (Psalm 39:1–3). When he felt the need to speak up, he did so by praying to ask God for humility (Psalm 39:4). David asks God for a reminder of his own limited lifespan—to be assured that his problems and concerns were nothing compared to the power of God. Rather than being aggravated by his situation, David asked God to alter his perspective, so he could see things in a more godly way.

A “handbreadth” was the measure of four fingers; about the distance across the palm. Compared to God’s eternal existence, a human lifetime is a mere breath (James 4:13–15). In his prayer, Psalm 90, Moses reflected on life’s brevity. He referred to a lifetime in his day as seventy years or eighty if a person was strong, and he recognized that the years “are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). Like Moses and David, Job pondered the brevity of life. He commented in Job 7:6, “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” In verse 16 he compared his life to a breath. David’s wise son Solomon also commented on life’s brevity. He said, “For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow?” (Ecclesiastes 6:12).

Verse 6. Surely a man goes about as a shadow!Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

David’s frustration psalm comes from wanting to speak out to wicked people but choosing instead to hold his tongue (Psalm 39:1–2). Most likely, he did not want to sin by saying something unwise or untrue out of anger. This led to frustration. When David chose to speak, he did so by praying for God’s work on his own heart (Psalm 39:3–4). He asked God for a reminder of his own limited life; to be reassured that David’s experiences were no catastrophe for God. Compared to God’s eternal perspective, our concerns are tiny, so we can trust His goodness when frustration sets in (Psalm 39:5).

The wicked persons David noted might have been scrabbling for power and wealth. Scripture notes that chasing money is a foolish plan (Psalm 37:16–17; Proverbs 23:4–5; Ecclesiastes 5:10–12; Matthew 6:19–24; Luke 12:13–21; 1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). A common English proverb is “you can’t take it with you.” This implies that worldly wealth is left behind when someone dies. Here, David notes that someone who “heaps up wealth” is ultimately collecting it for his survivors—whoever they might be.

The Bible clearly emphasizes the value of investing one’s life in spiritual pursuits instead of spending it in the pursuit of material wealth. Jesus taught His followers to lay up treasures in heaven. He pointed out that treasures on earth are subject to ruin or theft, whereas treasures in heaven never wear out and are not subject to theft (Matthew 6:19–20). The apostle John, a devoted follower of Jesus, counseled believers to invest their lives in doing God’s will instead of spending their lives in worldly pursuits. He wrote: “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). Proverbs 23:4–5 depicts wealth as flying away as soon as a person tries to look at it.

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

Seen from an eternal perspective, life is brief. Pursuing wealth and shallow bickering is a waste of what little time we have (Psalm 39:4–6). David eased his frustration by asking God to remind him of life’s brevity (Psalm 39:1–4). Remembering that God is much greater than our struggles can ease angst over difficult circumstances. In this verse, David makes that connection by pointing to God as his only and ultimate hope.

The best things in life are not things—objects or money—but the occasions in which a person glorifies the Lord. David understood that quantity of years is not as important as the quality of one’s life. How many moments a person has is not as important as what one does with those moments (Matthew 6:19–20). So, David weighed what pleases the Lord and the rewards which follow. He then chose to “wait on the Lord:” meaning to trust and hope in Him alone.

It’s possible some of David’s current struggle was the result of his own sin (Psalm 39:8–11). Therefore, he turned from his sin and looked to the Lord for restored fellowship. Surely the Lord does not want His people to engage in self-pity over their sins. He wants them to look to Him, hope in Him, confess their sins, and serve Him (Philippians 3:13–14; Hebrews 10:19–25; 12:3–13; 1 John 1:8—2:6). Romans 12:12 exhorts believers to “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Verse 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions.Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

A “transgression” is a breach of something; in this context it means violating God’s law. In the Old Testament (Exodus 20), God clearly defined what His people were and were not supposed to do. A person could break God’s law by failing to live according to His law. David admitted that he had broken God’s law. Although he does not specify how he had acted contrary to God’s law, he does make it clear that he longed for forgiveness. This might have been connected to David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

In Scripture, the term “fool” can be used for someone unwise or irresponsible. It is frequently applied to someone who rejects godly wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). That use is a dominant theme of the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 10:8; 13:19; 18:7). David realizes that if he does not confess and repent of his sin, it would give “fools”—unbelievers and critics of the Lord—reason to criticize faith in God. It would also create room for those enemies to attack David’s character.

Believers today should feel a sense of remorse over sins. Although we are not under the Old Testament law, as were the Israelites, we are accountable to obey the moral principles contained in the law since they reflect God’s character. Those principles are inherent in the New Testament’s precepts and commands as well. The apostle Paul told the Philippian believers to be “blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

Context Summary
Psalm 39:8–13 closes as David repents of sin. After expressing his need for humility and perspective, David suggests that some of his current struggles are the result of his own sin. This suggests that God is disciplining David through these experiences. As observed in the first part of the psalm, life is brief. David does not want to spend what little time he has under the Lord’s chastening hand. He wants to spend his days at peace with the Lord and with joy in his soul.

Verse 9. I am mute; I do not open my mouth,for it is you who have done it.

The choice to approach God in prayer, rather than complain, is not easy to make (James 3:1–5). Despite David’s angst (Psalm 39:1–3), he knows it’s better to be humble before God (Psalm 39:4–7). In this case, David is careful not to speak improperly in the presence of wicked people. That’s frustrating, yet here David suggests at least some of his misery is godly discipline. He has sinned, and one of the consequences of his sin is that it has opened him up to criticisms from the ungodly, even when those are hypocritical or unfair (Psalm 39:8).

Suffering is never pleasant, but it can have a good purpose. Not all negative experiences are due to our mistakes (John 9:1–3). Yet when it’s part of God’s response to sin, suffering brings conviction and a desire to repent. This is not pleasant, but it is purposeful. Hebrews 12:10 explains that God disciplines His children for their good. Furthermore, the discipline is for a brief time but produces righteousness in His children. Verse 11 states: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Instead of being bitter or discouraged by discipline, believers should regard it as an opportunity to repent and grow spiritually (Hebrews 12:12–17).

Psalm 32 records the blessing David received by confessing his sin: “I acknowledge my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

Verse 10. Remove your stroke from me;I am spent by the hostility of your hand.

Continuing from the prior verses (Psalm 39:8–9), David notes that his suffering is, in part, God’s discipline for his sin. The psalm began with David’s frustration over wicked people (Psalm 39:1–3). His response to that angst was to ask God for humility (Psalm 39:4–7). That’s especially appropriate when we know we’ve done wrong.

The Hebrew word for “stroke” may be rendered “plague” or “sore.” In Psalm 38, David described his misery under God’s conviction using symbolic expressions (Psalm 38:1–3). Emotional stress can have physical effects, but it’s likely the reference in this verse is also poetic. David wasn’t likely experiencing a literal disease or injury. However, he recognized his experience as something sent by God as a form of discipline.

David’s phrasing here speaks of God’s discipline as evidence of the Lord’s hostility. In the most immediate sense, this is true, in that God’s rebuke was meant to afflict David. This does not mean it was a sign of God’s overall rejection or hatred of David. The Lord’s discipline is designed not to ruin a believer but to reprove and restore him. The book of Proverbs teaches parents to discipline children for their good, to correct their behavior. Proverbs 19:18 exhorts: “Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.” Proverbs 23:13–14 emphasizes the power of discipline by stating that it can “…save his soul from Sheol.” The Lord’s chastening seeks restoration, not mere punishment (Hebrews 12:3–11).

Verse 11. When you discipline a manwith rebukes for sin,you consume like a moth what is dear to him;surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

David recognized that his frustrations about wicked people (Psalm 39:1–3) were ultimately brought about by his own sinful actions. God was correcting David with loving consequences, teaching him to change and turn away from those actions. The Lord weakened David to show him that life is uncertain and brief (Psalm 39:4–7). In acknowledging his sin (Psalm 39:8–10), David responds to discipline in a godly way.

Moths and other insects can quickly destroy fabrics and other possessions. This was even more a danger in the ancient world before synthetic fabrics and pest control. Just as suddenly and surely, the Lord can “consume” what is dear to a man. David already realized that heaping up wealth contributed nothing to eternity (Psalm 39:6). Earthly treasure remains behind when a person dies, but eternal treasure awaits the faithful servant of God when he enters heaven (Matthew 6:19–21). The apostle Paul understood the vanity of earthly treasure and the value of heavenly treasure. Therefore, he exhorted the Colossian Christians: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1–2).

Verse 12. “Hear my prayer, O Lord,and give ear to my cry;hold not your peace at my tears!For I am a sojourner with you,a guest, like all my fathers.

In this verse David asks God to answer his prayer. This does not mean David believes God will ignore him completely. Even in repentant sorrow, he had faith that God could see, hear, and forgive him (Psalm 38:21–22). This appeal is for God to act quickly; it emphasizes the pain which David experiences.

Scripture makes it clear that sin and sorrow are close cousins. Sin disrupts a believer’s fellowship with God, and therefore the believer has no peace. It leads to earthly consequences, so the sinner has reason to fear those results. When David sinned with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9), he felt the crushing weight of godly conviction. In Psalm 32:3–4, he compares his suffering to a debilitating disease and the sense that God was against him. Also, his sin drained David of his joy. He prayed in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”

David correctly saw himself as a temporary resident of earthly life. This perspective was echoed by those praised in Scripture for their great faith in God (Hebrews 11:13–16). It is important to notice, though, that David defined himself as a sojourner with the Lord. He was not traveling alone (Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20) As believers travel to heaven, the Lord is with them always (Hebrews 13:5).

Verse 13. Look away from me, that I may smile again,before I depart and am no more!”

David closes his prayer with an unusual request: that God would look away from him. David has already expressed his confidence that the Lord is his one and only hope (Psalm 39:7). He has repented of sin and asked God to be merciful (Psalm 39:8–11). This request connects to the idea of being under God’s holy and righteous judgment (Amos 9:8; Psalm 11:4). All sin is repulsive to God (Psalm 5:4–6). Part of repentance is recognizing that our sins have offended Him.

Having repented and admitted sin, David asks for God to give him a renewed sense of peace and confidence. He knew he would smile again with joy in his heart if the Lord would remove His discipline. He understood that life is fleeting and before long he would depart this life and “be no more.” “Be no more” doesn’t mean cease to exist. Rather, it means an end to David’s earthly, temporary travel (Psalm 39:4–6, 12). In his famous shepherd psalm, David writes, “I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6).

Knowing that his martyrdom was imminent, the apostle Paul looked forward to the end of his earthly life. He was eagerly anticipating the beginning of his life in heaven with the Lord. He writes in 2 Timothy 4:6, “The time of my departure has come.” He expected that departure to lead to a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8).

End of Psalm 39

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