Psalms 39:1

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David. I decided, ²  “I will watch what I say and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. ³  I will put a muzzle over my mouth while in the presence of an evil man.” ⁴ 

1Ki 2:4; 2Ki 10:31; 1Ch 16:41; 1Ch 25:1-6; Ps 12:4; Ps 62:1; Ps 73:8,9; Ps 77:1; Ps 119:9; Ps 141:3; Pr 4:26,27; Pr 18:21; Pr 21:23; Am 5:13; Mic 7:5,6; Col 4:5; Heb 2:1; Jas 1:26; Jas 3:2-8

¹ sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.

² tn Heb “I said.”

³ tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”

⁴ sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the Lord (see vv. 4-6), but he hesitated to do so in the presence of evil men, for such words might be sinful if they gave the wicked an occasion to insult God. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 1:345.