Psalm 39:3 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:

NASB: My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue:

CSB: My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, a fire burned. I spoke with my tongue:

NLT: The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words:

KJV: My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

NKJV: My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, 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).

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.

David chooses not to speak in the presence of certain evil people. This might have been to avoid slander, or to not speak unfairly about God. In frustration, David calls on God to adjust his perspective. He asks to be reminded of life's brevity; the Lord's infinite perspective makes our troubles seem small. David acknowledges his sin and that God has disciplined him. Even so, he places all his hope in the Lord.

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).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.