Psalms 39:4

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Jehovah, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how frail I am.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

חַם־לִבִּ֨י ׀ בְּקִרְבִּ֗י בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י תִבְעַר־אֵ֑שׁ דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃

Transliteration

ḥam-libbî in-qirbî in-hăgîgî tibʿar-ʾēš dibbartî with-lišônî

Grammar Details

*ḥam-libbî*: adjective, masculine singular and noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix - hot/warm (was) my heart
*qirbî*: noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix and prefixed preposition 'bə' - in my inward part
*hăgîgî*: noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix and prefixed preposition 'ba' - in my meditation/musing
*tibʿar-ʾēš*: verb, qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular and noun, feminine singular - burned fire/fire kindled
*dibbartî*: verb, piel perfect 1st person singular - I spoke
*lišônî*: noun, feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix and prefixed preposition 'bə' - with my tongue

Word Meanings

*ḥam-libbî*: my heart was hot/burning/inflamed
*qirbî*: my inward part/inner being/midst
*hăgîgî*: my meditation/musing/sighing
*tibʿar-ʾēš*: fire burned/kindled/ignited
*dibbartî*: I spoke/said/uttered

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

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 90:12 : 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom.
Ps 119:84 : 84 How many are the days of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
Job 14:13 : 13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Ps 103:14 : 14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Ps 39:5
85%
5Behold, thou hast made my days [as] handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. {H5542}
Ps 89:46-47
2 verses
79%
46How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? [How long] shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47Oh remember how short my time is: For what vanity hast thou created all the children of men!
Ps 144:3-4
2 verses
78%
3Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
4Man is like to vanity: His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Ps 90:11-12
2 verses
76%
11Who knoweth the power of thine anger, And thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee?
12So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom.
Ps 39:12-13
2 verses
76%
12Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more.
Ps 102:23-24
2 verses
75%
23He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: Thy years are throughout all generations.
Ps 39:10
74%
10Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand.
Job 10:20
74%
20Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
Job 6:11
74%
11What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be {H5315} patient?
Job 17:1
73%
1My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, The grave is [ready] for me.
Job 10:5
73%
5Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man's days,
Isa 38:10
73%
10I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
Ps 139:23
73%
23Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts;
Isa 38:12
73%
12My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me as a shepherd's tent: I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life; he will cut me off from the loom: From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
Job 17:11
73%
11My days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.
Job 30:23
73%
23For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.
Ps 31:10
73%
10For my life is spent with sorrow, And my years with sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, And my bones are wasted away.
Job 13:23
72%
23How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
Ps 139:1
72%
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known [me].
Ps 39:7
72%
7And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.
Ps 102:11
72%
11My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass.
Ps 139:6
72%
6[ Such] knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Ps 38:9
72%
9Lord, all my desire is before thee; And my groaning is not hid from thee.
Ps 73:16-17
2 verses
72%
16When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me;
17Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end.
Job 14:5
72%
5Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
Job 7:16-17
2 verses
72%
16I loathe [my life]; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,
Ps 131:1
72%
1A Song of Ascents; of David. Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, Or in things too wonderful for me.
Jer 10:24
71%
24O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Jonah 4:3
71%
3Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Ps 89:49
71%
49Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, Which thou swarest unto David in thy faithfulness?
Ps 69:5
71%
5O God, thou knowest my foolishness; And my sins are not hid from thee.
Job 20:4
71%
4Knowest thou [not] this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
Job 8:9
71%
9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);
Job 14:13
71%
13Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Ps 9:20
71%
20Put them in fear, O Jehovah: Let the nations know themselves to be but men. {Selah}
Job 10:8
71%
8Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
Ps 139:4
71%
4For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.
Ps 119:33
71%
33HE. Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes; And I shall keep it unto the end.
Ps 103:14
71%
14For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.
Lam 3:4
70%
4My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
Job 31:4
70%
4Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?
Ps 143:4
70%
4Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is desolate.
Ps 143:8
70%
8Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; For in thee do I trust: Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; For I lift up my soul unto thee.