Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways,
# Lest I sin with mytongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
2 I was mute with silence,
I held my peaceevenfrom good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing, the fire burned.
ThenI spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord,make me to know my end,
And whatisthe measure of my days,
ThatI may know how frail Iam.
5 Indeed, You have made my daysashandbreadths,
And my ageisas nothing before You;
# Certainly every man at his best stateisbutvapor.
Selah
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they busy themselves in vain;
He heaps upriches,
And does not know who will gather them.
7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
# Myhopeisin You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
# Do not make methe reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
# Because it wasYou who didit.
10 Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
# You make his beautymelt away like a moth;
Surely every manisvapor.
Selah
12 “Hear my prayer, OLord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For Iama stranger with You,
# A sojourner,as all my fatherswere.
13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
# Before I go away andam no more.”