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Selected Verse: Psalms 39:13 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 39:13	Strong Concordance	O spare [08159] me, that I may recover strength [01082], before I go hence [03212], and be no more.
	King James	O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
O spare me - The word used here - from שׁעה shâ‛âh - means "to look;" and then, in connection with the preposition, "to look away from;" and it here means, "Look away from me;" that is, Do not come to inflict death on me. Preserve me. The idea is this: God seemed to have fixed his eyes on him, and to be pursuing him with the expressions of his displeasure (compare Job 16:9); and the psalmist now prays that he would "turn away his eyes," and leave him. That I may recover strength - The word used here - בלג bâlag - means, in Arabic, to be bright; to shine forth; and then, to make cheerful, to enliven one's countenance, or to be joyful, glad. In Job 9:27, it is rendered "comfort;" in Job 10:20, that I "may take comfort;" in Amo 5:9, "strengtheneth." It is not used elsewhere. The idea is that of being "cheered up;" of being strengthened and invigorated before he should pass away. He wished to be permitted to recover the strength which he had lost, and especially to receive consolation, before he should leave the earth. He desired that his closing days might not be under a cloud, but that he might obtain brighter and more cheerful views, and have more of the consolations of religion before he should be removed finally from this world. It is a wish not to leave the world in gloom, or with gloomy and desponding views, but with a cheerful view of the past; with joyful confidence in the government of God; and with bright anticipations of the coming world. Before I go hence - Before I die. And be no more - Be no more upon the earth. Compare Psa 6:5, note; Psa 30:9, note. See also the notes at Job 14:1-12. Whatever may have been his views of the future world, he desired to be cheered and comforted in the prospect of passing away finally from earth. He was unwilling to go down to the grave in gloom, or under the influence of the dark and distressing views which he had experienced, and to which he refers in this psalm. A religious man, about to leave the world, should desire to have bright hopes and anticipations. For his own comfort and peace, for the honor of religion, for the glory of God, he should not leave those around under the impression that religion does nothing to comfort a dying man, or to inspire with hope the mind of one about to leave the earth, or to give to the departing friend of God cheerful anticipations of the life to come. A joyful confidence in God and his government, when a man is about to leave the world, does much, very much, to impress the minds of others with a conviction of the truth and reality of religion, as dark and gloomy views can hardly fail to lead the world to ask what that religion is worth which will not inspire a dying man with hope, and make him calm in the closing scene.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

O spare me - The word used here - from שׁעה shâ‛âh - means "to look;" and then, in connection with the preposition, "to look away from;" and it here means, "Look away from me;" that is, Do not come to inflict death on me. Preserve me. The idea is this: God seemed to have fixed his eyes on him, and to be pursuing him with the expressions of his displeasure (compare Job 16:9); and the psalmist now prays that he would "turn away his eyes," and leave him.

That I may recover strength - The word used here - בלג bâlag - means, in Arabic, to be bright; to shine forth; and then, to make cheerful, to enliven one's countenance, or to be joyful, glad. In Job 9:27, it is rendered "comfort;" in Job 10:20, that I "may take comfort;" in Amo 5:9, "strengtheneth." It is not used elsewhere. The idea is that of being "cheered up;" of being strengthened and invigorated before he should pass away. He wished to be permitted to recover the strength which he had lost, and especially to receive consolation, before he should leave the earth. He desired that his closing days might not be under a cloud, but that he might obtain brighter and more cheerful views, and have more of the consolations of religion before he should be removed finally from this world. It is a wish not to leave the world in gloom, or with gloomy and desponding views, but with a cheerful view of the past; with joyful confidence in the government of God; and with bright anticipations of the coming world.

Before I go hence - Before I die.

And be no more - Be no more upon the earth. Compare Psa 6:5, note; Psa 30:9, note. See also the notes at Job 14:1-12. Whatever may have been his views of the future world, he desired to be cheered and comforted in the prospect of passing away finally from earth. He was unwilling to go down to the grave in gloom, or under the influence of the dark and distressing views which he had experienced, and to which he refers in this psalm. A religious man, about to leave the world, should desire to have bright hopes and anticipations. For his own comfort and peace, for the honor of religion, for the glory of God, he should not leave those around under the impression that religion does nothing to comfort a dying man, or to inspire with hope the mind of one about to leave the earth, or to give to the departing friend of God cheerful anticipations of the life to come. A joyful confidence in God and his government, when a man is about to leave the world, does much, very much, to impress the minds of others with a conviction of the truth and reality of religion, as dark and gloomy views can hardly fail to lead the world to ask what that religion is worth which will not inspire a dying man with hope, and make him calm in the closing scene.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
No more - Among the living, or in this world.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
O spare me - Take me not from this state of probation till I have a thorough preparation for a state of blessedness. This he terms recovering his strength - being restored to the favor and image of God, from which he had fallen. This should be the daily cry of every human spirit: Restore me to thine image, guide me by thy counsel, and then reeeive me to thy glory!

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¹ Man [0120] that is born [03205] of a woman [0802] is of few [07116] days [03117], and full [07649] of trouble [07267].
² He cometh forth [03318] like a flower [06731], and is cut down [05243]: he fleeth [01272] also as a shadow [06738], and continueth [05975] not.
³ And dost thou open [06491] thine eyes [05869] upon such an one [02088], and bringest [0935] me into judgment [04941] with thee?
⁴ Who can bring [05414] a clean [02889] thing out of an unclean [02931]? not one [0259].
⁵ Seeing [0518] his days [03117] are determined [02782], the number [04557] of his months [02320] are with thee, thou hast appointed [06213] his bounds [02706] that he cannot pass [05674];
⁶ Turn [08159] from him, that he may rest [02308], till he shall accomplish [07521], as an hireling [07916], his day [03117].
⁷ For there is [03426] hope [08615] of a tree [06086], if it be cut down [03772], that it will sprout again [02498], and that the tender branch [03127] thereof will not cease [02308].
⁸ Though the root [08328] thereof wax old [02204] in the earth [0776], and the stock [01503] thereof die [04191] in the ground [06083];
⁹ Yet through the scent [07381] of water [04325] it will bud [06524], and bring forth [06213] boughs [07105] like a plant [05194].
¹⁰ But man [01397] dieth [04191], and wasteth away [02522]: yea, man [0120] giveth up the ghost [01478], and where is he?
¹¹ As the waters [04325] fail [0235] from the sea [03220], and the flood [05104] decayeth [02717] and drieth up [03001]:
¹² So man [0376] lieth down [07901], and riseth [06965] not: till the heavens [08064] be no more [01115], they shall not awake [06974], nor be raised out [05782] of their sleep [08142].

⁹ What profit [01215] is there in my blood [01818], when I go down [03381] to the pit [07845]? Shall the dust [06083] praise [03034] thee? shall it declare [05046] thy truth [0571]?

⁵ For in death [04194] there is no remembrance [02143] of thee: in the grave [07585] who shall give thee thanks [03034]?

⁹ That strengtheneth [01082] the spoiled [07701] against the strong [05794], so that the spoiled [07701] shall come [0935] against the fortress [04013].

²⁰ Are not my days [03117] few [04592]? cease [02308] [02308] then, and let me alone [07896] [07896], that I may take comfort [01082] a little [04592],

²⁷ If I say [0559], I will forget [07911] my complaint [07879], I will leave off [05800] my heaviness [06440], and comfort [01082] myself:

⁹ He teareth [02963] me in his wrath [0639], who hateth [07852] me: he gnasheth [02786] upon me with his teeth [08127]; mine enemy [06862] sharpeneth [03913] his eyes [05869] upon me.