Psalms 39:12

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I [am] a stranger with thee, [and] a sojourner, as all my fathers [were].

Hear {H8085} my prayer {H8605}, O LORD {H3068}, and give ear {H238}{H8685)} unto my cry {H7775}; hold not thy peace {H2790}{H8799)} at my tears {H1832}: for I am a stranger {H1616} with thee, and a sojourner {H8453}, as all my fathers {H1} were.

Hear my prayer, ADONAI, listen to my cry, don't be deaf to my weeping; for with you, I am just a traveler passing through, like all my ancestors.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. For I am a foreigner dwelling with You, a stranger like all my fathers.

Hear 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.

Commentary

Context

Psalm 39 is a deeply personal lament from David, possibly written during a period of severe illness or profound distress. The psalmist begins by vowing to keep silent and bridle his tongue, but his inner turmoil eventually erupts into a fervent prayer. He reflects on the brevity and futility of human life without God, contrasting the fleeting nature of earthly existence with the eternal. Verse 12 comes as the culmination of this heartfelt plea, where David expresses his utter dependence on God, acknowledging his own fragile and temporary status in the world.

Key Themes

  • Earnest Supplication: The psalmist's opening lines—"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears"—reveal a profound depth of distress and a desperate plea for God's immediate attention and compassion. This highlights the importance of unburdening one's soul before God, even in tears.
  • Human Transience and Pilgrimage: The core message of this verse is the recognition of human life as temporary. David describes himself as "a stranger with thee, and a sojourner." This imagery emphasizes that our time on earth is not a permanent residence but a temporary stop on a journey.
  • Shared Human Experience: The phrase "as all my fathers were" connects the psalmist's personal experience of transience to the universal human condition. It reminds us that this sense of being a temporary resident is a shared heritage across generations, from the patriarchs onward. This perspective helps in understanding our place in God's eternal plan, much like Hebrews 11:13 describes the patriarchs as strangers and pilgrims.
  • Dependence on God: Even as a "stranger" and "sojourner," David emphasizes being "with thee" (with God). This signifies that despite the temporary nature of his earthly dwelling, his true hope and security lie in God's presence and care.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses two significant Hebrew terms translated as "stranger" and "sojourner":

  • "Stranger" (Hebrew: ger): This term refers to a resident alien, someone who lives in a foreign land and is not a native citizen. They are under the protection of the host community but do not possess the same rights or land ownership as a native.
  • "Sojourner" (Hebrew: toshab): This word also denotes a temporary resident or dweller, someone who is staying in a place for a limited time. It reinforces the idea of not being permanently settled.

Together, ger and toshab powerfully convey the idea of a temporary, non-native status, reinforcing the spiritual truth that believers are not ultimately at home in this world, but are passing through to an eternal dwelling, a concept also explored in 1 Peter 2:11, where believers are called "strangers and pilgrims".

Practical Application

Psalm 39:12 offers profound insights for believers today:

  • Permission to Lament: It validates the human experience of sorrow, grief, and tears. God invites us to bring our raw emotions and deepest cries before Him, knowing He hears and cares.
  • Heavenly Perspective: Recognizing ourselves as "strangers and sojourners" encourages us to hold lightly to earthly possessions and ambitions, focusing instead on eternal values and our true heavenly citizenship. This perspective helps us prioritize what truly matters.
  • Comfort in Transience: For those who feel out of place, alienated, or overwhelmed by the world's troubles, this verse provides comfort. It reminds us that this world is not our permanent home, and our ultimate belonging is with God.
  • Living with Purpose: Understanding the brevity of life (as expressed throughout Psalm 39) should motivate us to live purposefully, investing our time and talents in ways that honor God and build His kingdom, rather than pursuing fleeting pleasures or temporary security.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Peter 2:11 (11 votes)

    Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

  • Hebrews 11:13 (10 votes)

    These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

  • Genesis 47:9 (9 votes)

    And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage [are] an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

  • Leviticus 25:23 (9 votes)

    ¶ The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land [is] mine; for ye [are] strangers and sojourners with me.

  • Psalms 119:19 (9 votes)

    ¶ I [am] a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

  • Psalms 56:8 (8 votes)

    ¶ Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book?

  • 1 Chronicles 29:15 (8 votes)

    For we [are] strangers before thee, and sojourners, as [were] all our fathers: our days on the earth [are] as a shadow, and [there is] none abiding.