Psalms 39:3 · Clearspring

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Other translations

WEBBE

My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burnt. I spoke with my tongue:

BSB

My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

KJV

My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

ASV

My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned; [Then] spake I with my tongue:

BBE

My heart was burning in my breast; while I was deep in thought the fire was lighted; then I said with my tongue,

Original Hebrew

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חַם־ cham- it became hot H2552 לִבִּי li·bi heart my H3820 בְּקִרְבִּי be·kir·bi in inner being my H7130 בַּהֲגִיגִי ba·ha·gi·gi in sighing my H1901 תִבְעַר־ tiv·'ar- it burned H1197 אֵשׁ 'esh fire H784 דִּבַּרְתִּי di·bar·ti I spoke H1696 בִּלְשׁוֹנִי bil·sho·ni with tongue my H3956

The early church

"And while I was musing, the fire burned" [Psalm 39:3]....I reflected on the words of my Lord, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, you ought to have put My money to the exchangers, and I at My coming should receive it again with usury." [Matthew 25:26-27] And that which follows may God avert from those who are His stewards! Bind him hand and foot, and let him be cast into outer darkness; [Matthew 25:30] the servant, who was not a waster of his master's goods, so as to destroy them, but was slothful in laying them out to improve them. What ought they to expect, who have wasted them in luxury, if they are condemned who through slothfulness have kept them? "As I was musing, the fire burned." And as he was in this state of wavering suspense, between speaking and holding his peace, between those who are prepared to cavil and those who are anxious to be instructed,...in this state of suspense, he prays for a better place, a place different from this his present stewardship, in which man is in such difficulty and in such danger, and sighing after a certain "end," when he was not to be subject to these things, when the Lord is to say to the faithful dispenser, "Enter thou into the joy of your Lord," [Matthew 25:27] he says, "Then spoke I with my tongue." In this fluctuation, in the midst of these dangers and these difficulties, because, that in consequence of the abundance of offenses "the love of many is waxing cold," [Matthew 24:12] although the law of the Lord inspires delight, in this fluctuation then, (I say), "then spoke I with my tongue." To whom? Not to the hearer whom I would fain instruct; but to Him who hears and takes heed also, by whom I would fain be instructed myself. "I spoke with my tongue" to Him, from whom I inwardly hear whatever I hear that is good or true.— What did You say?

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Expositions on the Psalms

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–6

If an evil thought should arise in the mind, suppress it. Watchfulness in the habit, is the bridle upon the head; watchfulness in acts, is the hand upon the bridle. When not able to separate from wicked men, we should remember they will watch our words, and turn them, if they can, to our disadvantage. Sometimes it may be necessary to keep silence, even from good words; but in general we are wrong when backward to engage in edifying discourse. Impatience is a sin that has its cause within ourselves, and that is, musing; and its ill effects upon ourselves, and that is no less than burning. In our greatest health and prosperity, every man is altogether vanity, he cannot live long; he may die soon. This is an undoubted truth, but we are very unwilling to believe it. Therefore let us pray that God would enlighten our minds by his Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts with his grace, that we may be ready for death every day and hour.

Read Matthew Henry on Psalm 39 →

Spurgeon · Verse 3

My heart was hot within me. The friction of inward thoughts produced an intense mental heat. The door of his heart was shut, and with the fire of sorrow burning within, the chamber of his soul soon grew unbearable with heat. Silence is an awful thing for a sufferer, it is the surest method to produce madness. Mourner, tell your sorrow; do it first and most fully to God, but even to pour it out before some wise and godly friend is far from being wasted breath. While I was musing the fire burned. As he thought upon the ease of the wicked and his own daily affliction, he could not unravel the mystery of providence, and therefore he became greatly agitated. While his heart was musing it was fusing, for the subject was confusing. It became harder every moment to be quiet; his volcanic soul was tossed with an inward ocean of fire, and heaved to and fro with a mental earthquake; and eruption was imminent, the burning lava must pour forth in a fiery stream. Then spake I with my tongue. The original is grandly laconic. I spake. The muzzled tongue burst all its bonds. The gag was hurled away. Misery, like murder, will out. You can silence praise, but anguish is clamorous. Resolve or no resolve, heed or no heed, sin or no sin, the impetuous torrent forced for itself a channel and swept away every restraint.

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Cross-references

3

Topics

Meditation