King James Version

What Does Psalms 39:12 Mean?

Psalms 39:12 in the King James Version says “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 s...” — study this verse from Psalms chapter 39 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

Psalms 39:12 · KJV

PrayerPeace

Context

10

Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. blow: Heb. conflict

11

When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. his: Heb. that which is to be desired in him to melt away

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.

13

O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Read Psalms 39 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
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. This verse intensifies David's appeal through three escalating petitions: hear my prayer, give ear to my cry, and don't be silent at my tears. The progression from words (prayer) to sounds (cry) to silent tears reflects deepening anguish that transcends articulation. Romans 8:26 echoes this: 'The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.'

'Hold not thy peace at my tears' (al techerash el dim'ati, אַל־תֶּחֱרַשׁ אֶל־דִּמְעָתִי) literally means 'don't be deaf to my tears.' David fears divine silence—that God might observe his suffering without responding. This fear appears throughout the psalms: 'Be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit' (Psalm 28:1). God's silence feels like abandonment, yet the very act of praying demonstrates faith that God can speak.

'For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner' (ki ger anoki immach toshav, כִּי־גֵר אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ תּוֹשָׁב) uses two terms for temporary residence. Ger (גֵּר) means foreigner, alien, temporary resident; toshav (תּוֹשָׁב) means sojourner, dweller without permanent rights. David acknowledges his temporary status on earth—he's merely passing through, not permanently settled. This echoes Abraham who 'dwelt in the land of promise, as in a strange country... for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God' (Hebrews 11:9-10).

'As all my fathers were' (kechol avotai, כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָי) grounds this in Israel's history. The patriarchs lived as nomads; Israel wandered forty years; even in the promised land they remained 'strangers and pilgrims' (1 Chronicles 29:15). This self-identification as sojourner shapes the prayer—David appeals to God as patron who protects vulnerable foreigners. Levitical law commanded special care for strangers (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:33-34), and David invokes that divine characteristic.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Israel's identity as sojourners began with Abraham. God called him to leave his homeland and dwell as a foreigner in Canaan, a land he never fully possessed during his lifetime (Genesis 12:1, 23:4). Isaac and Jacob continued this nomadic existence, living in tents and moving frequently. The patriarchs' lives established a pattern: God's people are pilgrims on earth, citizens of a better country.

The exodus generation wandered forty years in wilderness—ultimate sojourning. They possessed no land, built no permanent structures, lived in temporary dwellings, and depended entirely on God's daily provision. This formative experience shaped Israel's self-understanding. Even after settling in Canaan, they were to remember: 'The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me' (Leviticus 25:23).

Psalm 39's sojourner language resonates with exilic experience. When Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and deported Judah's leaders, they became literal foreigners in a strange land. Psalm 137 captures this anguish: 'By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.' Exiles prayed as strangers, longing for home, dependent on God's mercy in foreign territory.

The New Testament explicitly develops pilgrimage theology. Hebrews 11:13 says the patriarchs 'confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth,' and this characterizes all believers: 'Here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come' (Hebrews 13:14). Peter addresses Christians as 'strangers and pilgrims' (1 Peter 2:11), and Paul teaches that 'our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven' (Philippians 3:20). The church is God's pilgrim people, passing through this world toward the eternal city.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does viewing yourself as a 'stranger and sojourner' on earth affect your attachment to earthly possessions and status?
  2. In what ways have you experienced prayers that move from words to cries to tears?
  3. What does it mean practically that God hears and responds to tears, not just articulate prayers?
  4. How should identifying as a pilgrim rather than permanent resident shape your priorities and investments?
  5. What 'city with foundations' (Hebrews 11:10) are you ultimately seeking, and how does this affect present decisions?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 16 words
שִׁ֥מְעָֽה1 of 16

“Hear”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

תְפִלָּתִ֨י׀2 of 16

“my prayer”

H8605

intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn

יְהוָ֡ה3 of 16

“O LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י׀4 of 16

“unto my cry”

H7775

a hallooing

הַאֲזִינָה֮5 of 16

“and give ear”

H238

to broaden out the ear (with the hand), i.e., (by implication) to listen

אֶֽל6 of 16
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

דִּמְעָתִ֗י7 of 16

“at my tears”

H1832

weeping

אַֽל8 of 16
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ9 of 16

“hold not thy peace”

H2790

to scratch, i.e., (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad

כִּ֤י10 of 16
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

גֵ֣ר11 of 16

“for I am a stranger”

H1616

properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner

אָנֹכִ֣י12 of 16
H595

i

עִמָּ֑ךְ13 of 16
H5973

adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then

תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב14 of 16

“with thee and a sojourner”

H8453

a dweller but not outlandish [h5237]; especially (as distinguished from a native citizen [active participle of h3427] and a temporary inmate [h1616] o

כְּכָל15 of 16
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֲבוֹתָֽי׃16 of 16

“as all my fathers”

H1

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Psalms. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Psalms 39:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Psalms 39:12 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Peter 2:11Hebrews 11:132 Kings 20:5Leviticus 25:23Psalms 119:19Psalms 116:3

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