The text of the psalm
לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִידוּתוּן מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
For the Leader, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
אָמַרְתִּי אֶשְׁמְרָה דְרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי אֶשְׁמְרָה לְפִי מַחְסוֹם בְּעֹד רָשָׁע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃
I said: 'I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep a curb upon my mouth, while the wicked is before me.'
נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּֽר׃
I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, had no comfort; and my pain was held in check.
חַם־לִבִּי בְּקִרְבִּי בַּהֲגִיגִי תִבְעַר־אֵשׁ דִּבַּרְתִּי בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃
My heart waxed hot within me; while I was musing, the fire kindled; Then spoke I with my tongue:
הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְהוָה קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה־הִיא אֵדְעָה מֶה־חָדֵל אָֽנִי׃
'LORD, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how short-lived I am.
הִנֵּה טְפָחוֹת נָתַתָּה יָמַי וְחֶלְדִּי כְאַיִן נֶגְדֶּךָ אַךְ כָּל־הֶבֶל כָּל־אָדָם נִצָּב סֶֽלָה׃
Behold, Thou hast made my days as hand-breadths; and mine age is as nothing before Thee; surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah
אַךְ־בְּצֶלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ־אִישׁ אַךְ־הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן יִצְבֹּר וְלֹא־יֵדַע מִי־אֹסְפָֽם׃
Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; surely for vanity they are in turmoil; He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
וְעַתָּה מַה־קִוִּיתִי אֲדֹנָי תּוֹחַלְתִּי לְךָ הִֽיא׃
And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope, it is in Thee.
מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעַי הַצִּילֵנִי חֶרְפַּת נָבָל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃
Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the base.
נֶאֱלַמְתִּי לֹא אֶפְתַּח־פִּי כִּי אַתָּה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃
I am dumb, I open not my mouth; because Thou hast done it.
הָסֵר מֵעָלַי נִגְעֶךָ מִתִּגְרַת יָדְךָ אֲנִי כָלִֽיתִי׃
Remove Thy stroke from off me; I am consumed by the blow of Thy hand.
בְּתוֹכָחוֹת עַל־עָוֺן יִסַּרְתָּ אִישׁ וַתֶּמֶס כָּעָשׁ חֲמוּדוֹ אַךְ הֶבֶל כָּל־אָדָם סֶֽלָה׃
With rebukes dost Thou chasten man for iniquity, and like a moth Thou makest his beauty to consume away; surely every man is vanity. Selah
שִׁמְעָה־תְפִלָּתִי יְהוָה וְשַׁוְעָתִי הַאֲזִינָה אֶל־דִּמְעָתִי אַל־תֶּחֱרַשׁ כִּי גֵר אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ תּוֹשָׁב כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָֽי׃
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; keep not silence at my tears; for I am a stranger with Thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
הָשַׁע מִמֶּנִּי וְאַבְלִיגָה בְּטֶרֶם אֵלֵךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃
Look away from me, that I may take comfort, before I go hence, and be no more.'