2 So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased;
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.
2 "Mum's the word," I said, and kept quiet. But the longer I kept silence The worse it got -
2 I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up.
2 But as I stood there in silence- not even speaking of good things- the turmoil within me grew worse.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 39:2
Commentary on Psalm 39:1-6
(Read Psalm 39:1-6)
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.