Psalms 39

Ps 39 This prayer for rescue reflects the psalmist’s discouragement, which comes from having a limited perspective on his situation.39:title Jeduthun was a levitical singer appointed by David along with Asaph (1 Chr 9:16; 16:38; 25:1).39:1-3 Suffering in silence only intensifies the psalmist’s anguish, pain, and inner turmoil.

39:4-6 Because of his suffering and sin, the psalmist concludes that life is meaningless and fleeting (see Job 7:7-10; Isa 40:6-8). He had expected a wicked life to have those qualities (see Pss 37:2, 20; 103:15-16), but now whether a person is godly or not seems to be irrelevant.39:4-5 how fleeting my life is: This perspective comes out of suffering (see 78:39; 89:47-48; 90:3-10). The human lifetime is but a moment to God (90:4), as temporary as a breath (see 39:11; 144:4).

39:8 The idea that rebellion brings on suffering is a common thread in Pss 32, 38–41.

39:9-11 The psalmist links suffering with God’s discipline, assuming that it is punishment for his sin.

39:11 The Lord uses discipline to correct his children (38:1, 3, 7; 40:12; see Prov 3:11-12; Heb 12:5-6).

39:12 A guest (or foreigner) had no rights of land ownership (see Lev 25:23). The patriarchs had lived as guests in Canaan (Ps 105:23).

39:13 Unlike the psalmist’s earlier request that God stay close to him (38:21-22), his present desire for God to leave him alone echoes Job’s disposition (Job 7:17-19).