Psalm 39:1
New International Version
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.”

New Living Translation
I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

King James Bible
To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

New King James Version
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.”

New American Standard Bible
For the music director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will keep watch over my ways So that I do not sin with my tongue; I will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.”

NASB 1995
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.”

NASB 1977
I Said, “I will guard my ways, That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle, While the wicked are in my presence.”

Legacy Standard Bible
For the choir director. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will keep watch over my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.”

Amplified Bible
To the Chief Musician; for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth While the wicked are in my presence.”

Christian Standard Bible
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways so that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are in my presence.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Davidic psalm. I said, “I will guard my ways so that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are in my presence.”

American Standard Version
For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I have said that I would keep my way and that I would not sin with my tongue. I shall keep my mouth from evil because of the wicked who are before me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For the end, a Song of David, to Idithun. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner stood in my presence.

Contemporary English Version
I told myself, "I'll be careful not to sin by what I say, and I'll muzzle my mouth when evil people are near."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David. I said: I will take heed to my ways : that I sin not with my tongue. I have set guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.

English Revised Version
For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[For the choir director; for Jeduthun; a psalm by David.] I said, "I will watch my ways so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will bridle my mouth while wicked people are in my presence."

Good News Translation
I said, "I will be careful about what I do and will not let my tongue make me sin; I will not say anything while evil people are near."

International Standard Version
I told myself, "I will keep watch over my tongue to keep from sinning. I will muzzle my mouth when the wicked are around."

JPS Tanakh 1917
For the Leader, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said: 'I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue; I will keep a curb upon my mouth, While the wicked is before me.'

Literal Standard Version
TO THE OVERSEER. FOR JEDUTHUN. A PSALM OF DAVID. I have said, “I observe my ways, | Against sinning with my tongue, | I keep a curb for my mouth, | While the wicked [is] before me.”

Majority Standard Bible
For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

New American Bible
For the leader, for Jeduthun. A psalm of David. [2] I said, “I will watch my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will keep a muzzle on my mouth.”

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

New Revised Standard Version
I said, “I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.”

New Heart English Bible
[For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.] I said, "I will watch my ways, so that I do not sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me."

Webster's Bible Translation
To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

World English Bible
For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”

Young's Literal Translation
To the Overseer, to Jeduthun. -- A Psalm of David. I have said, 'I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked is before me.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
I Will Watch My Ways
1For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.” 2I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.…

Cross References
James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

James 3:2
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.

James 3:5
In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.

1 Kings 2:4
and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: 'If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

2 Kings 10:31
Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

1 Chronicles 16:41
With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, for "His loving devotion endures forever."

Job 2:10
"You speak as a foolish woman speaks," he told her. "Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.


Treasury of Scripture

I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

A.

1 Chronicles 6:44
And their brethren the sons of Merari stood on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,

Psalm 62:1
To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

Psalm 77:1
To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

1 Chronicles 16:41
And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;

I said

Psalm 119:9
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

1 Kings 2:4
That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

2 Kings 10:31
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

that I

Psalm 12:4
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

Psalm 73:8,9
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily…

Psalm 141:3
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

my mouth [heb.

James 1:26
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

James 3:2-8
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body…

while

Amos 5:13
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Micah 7:5,6
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom…

Colossians 4:5
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

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Psalm 39
1. David's care of his thoughts
4. The consideration of the brevity and vanity of life
7. the reverence of God's judgments
10. and prayer, are his bridles of impatience














(1) My tongue.--To enter into the feeling of the poet we must remember the unrestrained way in which Orientals give way to grief. It was natural and becoming for him to "roar" (Psalm 38:8, &c.) out his indignation or his grief, to mutter (Psalm 1:2, &c) aloud his prayers, to speak out on every impulse. Now he determines to endure in silence and mutely bear the worst, rather than speak what may in the eyes of the impious be construed into a murmur against Divine Providence, into impatience under the Divine decree. (Comp. Psalm 38:13-14.)

With a bridle.--See margin, and comp. Deuteronomy 25:4, where the cognate verb occurs. The root-meaning is "stop." For the metaphor comp. James 1:26, and Plato, Laws, 3:701, "the argument, like a horse, ought to be pulled up from time to time, and not be allowed to run away, but held with bit and bridle." (Comp. also Virgil, 'neid, vi. 79.) . . .

Verse 1. - I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. There are no grounds for connecting this silence with the abstinence from self-vindication mentioned in the preceding psalm (vers. 13, 14). Indeed, it seems to have had a wholly different origin (see the introductory paragraph). I will keep my mouth with a bridle; i.e. "curb my impatience, restrain and keep in my speech." While the wicked is before me. The Prayer-book Version is better, if less literal, "While the ungodly is in my sight."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For the choirmaster.
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ (lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ)
Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5329: To glitter from afar, to be eminent, to be permanent

For Jeduthun.
לִֽידוּת֗וּן (lî·ḏū·ṯūn)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3038: Jeduthun

A Psalm
מִזְמ֥וֹר (miz·mō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4210: Instrumental music, a poem set to notes

of David.
לְדָוִֽד׃ (lə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

I said,
אָמַ֗רְתִּי (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I will watch
אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה (’eš·mə·rāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

my ways
דְרָכַי֮ (ḏə·rā·ḵay)
Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

so that I will not sin
מֵחֲט֪וֹא (mê·ḥă·ṭō·w)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

with my tongue;
בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י (ḇil·šō·w·nî)
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3956: The tongue

I will guard
אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה (’eš·mə·rāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

my mouth
לְפִ֥י (lə·p̄î)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

with a muzzle
מַחְס֑וֹם (maḥ·sō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4269: A muzzle

as
בְּעֹ֖ד (bə·‘ōḏ)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

long as the wicked
רָשָׁ֣ע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

are present.”
לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃ (lə·neḡ·dî)
Preposition-l | first person common singular
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before


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OT Poetry: Psalm 39:1 For the Chief Musician (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 38:22
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