To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
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.”
2 I was mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
3 My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
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
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!
7 “And now, O LORD, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
for it is you who have done it.
10 Remove your stroke from me;
I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man
with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
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.
13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!” – Psalm 39:1-13 ESV
The title of this psalm mentions a choirmaster named Jeduthun. His role and identity are not explained, but according to 1 Chronicles, Jeduthun was an appointee of David who served as a musician in his royal court.
David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “his faithful love endures forever.” They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God. And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers. – 1 Chronicles 16:41-42 NLT
As choirmaster, Jeduthun was responsible for turning David’s psalms into musical tributes to God designed to express gratitude for His faithful and never-ending love. But this psalm doesn’t seem to give Jeduthun much to work with because it is more of a lament than an expression of thanksgiving. In it, David freely voices his frustration over a less-than-pleasant circumstance he was going through. Some have suggested that David was experiencing serious health issues that threatened his life. Evidently, David believed his condition was tied to a sin he had committed, and his suffering was the result of God’s discipline.
I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
for my punishment is from you.
But please stop striking me!
I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
When you discipline us for our sins,
you consume like a moth what is precious to us.
Each of us is but a breath. – Psalm 39:9-11 NLT
David was clearly frustrated by the lingering effects of his condition and wondered out loud how long God would delay providing deliverance. In a sense, David saw his life passing before his eyes, reminding him of its brevity. He acknowledged God as the life-giver and sustainer, and begged to know how long his suffering would continue. For David, death would be preferable to a lingering illness and a life under the disciplining hand of God.
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.” – Psalm 39:4-5 NLT
Despite his difficulty, David had chosen not to complain about his circumstances in the hearing of men — especially the ungodly. He knew that to do so would cast dispersions upon God’s grace and goodness, so he remained silent. But that didn’t eleviate the emotional turmoil inside his head and heart.
But as I stood there in silence—
not even speaking of good things—
the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it,
the hotter I got,
igniting a fire of words… – Psalm 39:2-3 NLT
When David finally spoke up, he took his grievance to the Lord, expressing his thoughts to the one who could do something about it. But instead of complaining, David asked God for perspective. His questions concerning the length of his life were meant to seek clarity. While he felt like his current condition would never end, he knew his life was nothing but a breath to God. It was here one moment and gone the next. This is less an expression of pessimism than an acknowledgement of God’s eternality and man’s temporal state.
David asked God to help him keep his life in proper perspective, never forgetting that eternity is our future, not this temporary condition we call life. In God’s grand scheme, our lives are but a breath, a fleeting moment on the eternal timeline. Yet, we put all our emphasis on the here and now and forget about the hereafter. We spend all our time rushing around, attempting to accomplish things that only end in insignificance. We work hard to accumulate wealth and then end up having to leave it behind when we go.
It’s easy to see where David’s son, Solomon, got the perspective on life he shared in the book of Ecclesiastes.
For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? – Ecclesiastes 6:12 NLT
I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. – Ecclesiastes 2:18 NLT
Solomon also shared David’s perspective on wealth.
Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless – like chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT
But long before David wrote this psalm, he decided to place his hope and trust in God. He owed his life to God, and without Him, David would have remained a shepherd herding sheep rather than serving as the king of Israel. Whatever David was going through, he knew it had passed through the hands of God. David viewed his condition as God-ordained and, therefore, he took his problem to the source. He believed his punishment was due to sin and knew that only God could forgive him and relieve his suffering.
In verse 8, David asks God to “pluck him out of” his sin, to deliver him from his own transgressions. He knew that only God could bring relief from the pain he was suffering. So he asks God to hear his cries, to restore his joy, and to give him relief so that he might spend whatever days he has left in a right relationship with Him.
Isn’t that what this life is all about? It isn’t the accumulation of toys and the gaining of fame. It isn’t about comfort and ease, earning and spending, competing and winning. It is about the joy of a right relationship with God, something money can’t buy. When we are not right with God, nothing will make sense or satisfy our longing for peace, joy, contentment, and purpose. Nothing can make life right except getting right with God.
Father, what a wonderful reminder that life is all about living for You and with You. The pain and suffering we experience is nothing more than a reminder of our dependence upon and need for You. Keep me focused on You and nothing else. May I desire a right relationship with You more than anything else in the world. Amen
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.