Psalm 39:9 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.

NASB: I have become mute, I do not open my mouth, Because it is You who have done it.

CSB: I am speechless; I do not open my mouth because of what you have done.

NLT: I am silent before you; I won’t say a word, for my punishment is from you.

KJV: I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

NKJV: I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did 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).

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.

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.