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.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical 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.
Questions for Reflection
- How does viewing yourself as a 'stranger and sojourner' on earth affect your attachment to earthly possessions and status?
- In what ways have you experienced prayers that move from words to cries to tears?
- What does it mean practically that God hears and responds to tears, not just articulate prayers?
- How should identifying as a pilgrim rather than permanent resident shape your priorities and investments?
- What 'city with foundations' (Hebrews 11:10) are you ultimately seeking, and how does this affect present decisions?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & 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.