Psalms 39:2

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה דְרָכַי֮ מֵחֲט֢וֹא בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה לְפִ֥י מַחְס֑וֹם בְּעֹ֖ד רָשָׁ֣ע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃

Transliteration

ʾāmartî ʾešmərāh dərākay from-ḥăṭôʾ with-lišônî ʾešmərāh to-pî maḥsôm in-ʿōd rāšāʿ to-negdî

Grammar Details

*ʾāmartî*: verb, qal perfect 1st person singular - I said
*ʾešmərāh*: verb, qal imperfect 1st person singular cohortative - I will guard/keep
*dərākay*: noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person singular suffix - my ways
*ḥăṭôʾ*: verb, qal infinitive construct with prefixed preposition 'mē' - from sinning
*lišônî*: noun, feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix and prefixed preposition 'bə' - with my tongue
*pî*: noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix and prefixed preposition 'lə' - for my mouth
*maḥsôm*: noun, masculine singular - muzzle/bridle
*ʿōd*: adverb with prefixed preposition 'bə' - while/during
*rāšāʿ*: adjective used as substantive, masculine singular - wicked/evil one
*negdî*: preposition with 1st person singular suffix and prefixed preposition 'lə' - before me/in my presence

Word Meanings

*ʾāmartî*: I said/thought/decided
*ʾešmərāh*: I will guard/watch/keep/preserve
*dərākay*: my ways/paths/conduct
*ḥăṭôʾ*: sinning/offending/missing the mark
*maḥsôm*: muzzle/bridle/guard
*rāšāʿ*: wicked one/evil person/ungodly

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

ESVNIVCSBNLTNASBNET

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Job 32:19-20 : 19 Behold, my breast is as wine which hath no vent; Like new wine-skins it is ready to burst. 20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
Ps 38:13-14 : 13 But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14 Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs.
Isa 53:7 : 7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
Matt 7:6 : 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
Matt 27:12-14 : 12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14 And he gave him no answer, not even to one word: insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
Acts 4:20 : 20 for we {G1410} cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 39:8-10
3 verses
82%
8Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
9I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it.
10Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
Ps 39:1
81%
1For 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.
Ps 39:3
80%
3My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned: [Then] spake I with my tongue:
Ps 32:3
80%
3When I kept silence, my bones wasted away Through my groaning all the day long.
Ps 38:13-14
2 verses
78%
13But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
14Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs.
Isa 38:15
75%
15What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
Job 29:9-10
2 verses
74%
9The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
10The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
Job 13:19
74%
19Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.
Job 31:34
74%
34Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door—
Job 29:21
74%
21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.
Job 33:31
73%
31Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will speak.
Ps 38:17
73%
17For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me.
Jer 20:9
73%
9And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot [contain].
Lam 3:28
73%
28Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.
Job 3:13
73%
13For now should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest,
Job 16:6
73%
6Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?
Ps 131:2
72%
2Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child with his mother, Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Ps 77:3-4
2 verses
72%
3I remember God, and am disquieted: I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. {H5542}
4Thou holdest mine eyes watching: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
Ps 38:8
72%
8I am faint and sore bruised: I have groaned by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Ps 109:1
72%
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
Ps 73:16
72%
16When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me;
Job 9:27
72%
27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer;
Job 7:11
71%
11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Prov 17:28
71%
28Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is [esteemed as] prudent.
Gen 31:40
71%
40Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
Job 33:33
71%
33If not, hearken thou unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
Job 6:24
71%
24Teach me, and I will hold my peace; And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
Job 13:13
71%
13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will.
Job 30:28
71%
28I go mourning without the sun: I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
Ps 49:3
71%
3My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
Job 3:26
71%
26I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; But trouble cometh.
Job 13:5
71%
5Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.
Dan 10:15
71%
15and when he had spoken unto me according to these words, I set my face toward the ground, and was dumb.
Jer 8:18
71%
18Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! my heart is faint within me.
Ps 73:21-22
2 verses
71%
21For my soul was grieved, And I was pricked in my heart:
22So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was [as] a beast before thee.
Ps 143:4
70%
4Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is desolate.
Ps 50:21
70%
21These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: [But] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.
Lam 3:17
70%
17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
Ps 55:2
70%
2Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
Job 37:20
70%
20Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?
Job 40:4
70%
4Behold, I am of small account; What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.
Job 37:1
70%
1Yea, at this my heart trembleth, And is moved out of its place.
Job 32:16
70%
16And shall I wait, because they speak not, Because they stand still, and answer no more?
Job 6:10
70%
10And be it still my consolation, Yea, let me exult in pain that spareth not, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.