Psalms 39 - Printer Friendly

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).

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.

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.