Psalms 39:1

Bible in Basic English (1941)

<To the chief music-maker. Of Jeduthun. A Psalm. Of David.> I said, I will give attention to my ways, so that my tongue may do no wrong; I will keep my mouth under control, while the sinner is before me.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִֽידוּת֗וּן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

Transliteration

To-the-mənaṣṣēaḥ to-yədûtûn mizmôr to-dāwid

Grammar Details

• *mənaṣṣēaḥ*: noun, masculine singular with prefixed preposition 'lə' - to/for the director/chief musician
• *yədûtûn*: proper noun with prefixed preposition 'lə' - to/for Jeduthun (possibly a musician or music style)
• *mizmôr*: noun, masculine singular construct - psalm/melody
• *dāwid*: proper noun with prefixed preposition 'lə' - to/for/of David

Word Meanings

• *mənaṣṣēaḥ*: director/chief musician/conductor/overseer
• *yədûtûn*: Jeduthun (proper name of musician or musical guild or style)
• *mizmôr*: psalm/melody/song/musical composition

Referenced Verses

• 1 Kgs 2:4 : 4 So that the Lord may give effect to what he said of me, If your children give attention to their ways, living uprightly before me with all their heart and their soul, you will never be without a man to be king in Israel.
• 2 Kgs 10:31 : 31 But Jehu did not take care to keep the law of the Lord with all his heart: he did not keep himself from the sin which Jeroboam did and made Israel do.
• Job 2:10 : 10 And he said to her, You are talking like one of the foolish women. If we take the good God sends us, are we not to take the evil when it comes? In all this Job kept his lips from sin.
• Ps 62:1 : 1 <To the chief music-maker. After Jeduthun. A Psalm. Of David.> My soul, put all your faith in God; for from him comes my salvation.
• 1 Chr 16:41 : 41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were marked out by name to give praise to the Lord, for his mercy is unchanging for ever;
• Ps 119:9 : 9 <BETH> How may a young man make his way clean? by guiding it after your word.
• Ps 141:3 : 3 O Lord, keep a watch over my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
• Prov 4:26-27 : 26 Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered. 27 Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
• Prov 18:21 : 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those to whom it is dear will have its fruit for their food.
• Prov 21:23 : 23 He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
• Amos 5:13 : 13 So the wise will say nothing in that time; for it is an evil time.
• Mic 7:5-6 : 5 Put no faith in a friend, do not let your hope be placed in a relation: keep watch on the doors of your mouth against her who is resting on your breast. 6 For the son puts shame on his father, the daughter goes against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's haters are those of his family.
• Col 4:5 : 5 Be wise in your behaviour to those who are outside, making good use of the time.
• Heb 2:1 : 1 For this reason there is the more need for us to give attention to the things which have come to our ears, for fear that by chance we might be slipping away.
• Jas 1:26 : 26 If a man seems to have religion and has no control over his tongue but lets himself be tricked by what is false, this man's religion is of no value.
• Jas 3:2-8 : 2 For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control. 3 Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies. 4 And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it. 5 Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell. 7 For every sort of beast and bird and every living thing on earth and in the sea has been controlled by man and is under his authority; 8 But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death.
• 1 Chr 25:1-6 : 1 Further, David and the chiefs of the servants of the holy place made selection of certain of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun for the work of prophets, to make melody with corded instruments and brass; and the number of the men for the work they had to do was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur and Joseph and Nethaniah and Asharelah, sons of Asaph; under the direction of Asaph, acting as a prophet under the orders of the king; 3 Of Jeduthun: the six sons of Jeduthun, Gedaliah and Zeri and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah and Mattithiah; under the direction of their father Jeduthun who, acting as a prophet, with corded instruments gave praise and glory to the Lord. 4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth; 5 All these were sons of Heman, the king's seer in the words of God. And to make great his power God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 All these, under the direction of their father, made music in the house of the Lord, with brass and corded instruments, for the worship of the house of God; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the orders of the king.
• Ps 73:8-9 : 8 Their thoughts are deep with evil designs; their talk from their seats of power is of cruel acts. 9 Their mouth goes up to heaven; their tongues go walking through the earth.
• Ps 77:1 : 1 <To the chief music-maker. After Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A Psalm.> I was crying to God with my voice; even to God with my voice, and he gave ear to me.
• Ps 12:4 : 4 They have said, With our tongues will we overcome; our lips are ours: who is lord over us?
• Ps 34:13 : 13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from words of deceit.