“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "a stranger with you" is not just about being a foreigner in the world, but a profound acknowledgment that even in our earthly homes, we are ultimately sojourners in God's own territory, relying entirely on His permission and provision.
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this psalm, the psalmist is grappling with the brevity and vanity of life, realizing how quickly it passes and how insignificant earthly possessions and achievements are. He's been reflecting on his sins and the consequences he's facing, leading him to a place of deep humility and desperate pleading. This verse marks a turn from lamenting his condition to urgently crying out to God for mercy, reminding Him of their shared journey.
David doesn't just pray; he cries, he weeps, and he pleads. What does this intensity tell us about approaching God in our struggles?
In this verse, David uses a powerful escalation to express his deep distress. He begins with a request to 'hear my prayer,' a standard plea. But he doesn't stop there.
This isn't about performing for God, but about the honest, raw outpouring of a soul in crisis. It shows that God invites us to come to Him with our complete selves, even our deepest pain and desperation.
David calls himself a 'stranger' and 'sojourner.' What does this perspective reveal about how we should live in this world?
The core of David's argument for God's attention is his identity: 'For I am a stranger with you, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.' This isn't just a description of his current hardship, but a fundamental understanding of life.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal existence, faithfulness, and His active relationship with His people as their Redeemer.
ger · Hebrew Noun
Refers to one who lives in a place temporarily, not as a permanent citizen or permanent possessor. Biblically, it emphasizes that the believer's true citizenship is in heaven, and earthly life is a pilgrimage.
toshab · Hebrew Noun
A transient resident; someone who stays in a territory belonging to another. In this context, it highlights the humility and dependence of the believer upon God for hospitality and protection during their brief time on earth.
Though written by King David, who possessed a kingdom, Psalm 39:12 powerfully frames human existence as a temporary sojourn, echoing ancient precedents like Abraham's life and the Mosaic Law. It highlights that regardless of earthly status, all believers are pilgrims en route to an eternal home.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Reign as King
David, the likely author of Psalm 39, is king of Israel during a period of established monarchy. Despite his royal status, he grapples with profound personal affliction and the ephemeral nature of earthly life.
Genesis 23:4
Abraham as Sojourner
The patriarch Abraham, described in Genesis, lived as a foreigner in the land of Canaan, purchasing a burial place as a sign of his temporary status. This precedent is later echoed in Leviticus.
Leviticus 25:23
Land Belonging to God
The Mosaic Law declares that the land of Israel ultimately belongs to God, and the people are to live upon it as sojourners and tenants by His permission. This reinforces the idea of a temporary dwelling.
c. 1000 BC
Biblical Concept of Earthly Life
The understanding of human life as a transient journey, with a true home elsewhere (often referred to as a 'heavenly country' or 'city with foundations'), is a consistent theme in Hebrew thought, reflected by figures like Abraham and David.
This verse directly echoes the sentiment of being a sojourner, with Jacob telling Pharaoh, 'I have sojourned forty years in your land.' It highlights the ancient understanding of earthly life as a temporary dwelling place.
Hebrews 11:13This New Testament passage, speaking of the faith of the patriarchs, quotes this exact idea, calling them 'strangers and exiles on earth.' It reinforces the spiritual significance of viewing this life as temporary.
1 Peter 2:11Peter directly addresses believers as 'sojourners and exiles,' urging them to abstain from sinful desires. This shows the enduring application of the psalmist's perspective to the Christian life, emphasizing our identity in Christ over earthly allegiances.
Leviticus 25:23This verse from the Law states, 'The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. You are but strangers and sojourners with me.' It provides the Old Testament legal and theological basis for the concept of Israel as temporary residents in God's land.
Philippians 3:20Paul reminds the Philippians that 'our citizenship is in heaven,' directly aligning with the psalmist's plea. This passage speaks to the ultimate 'home' believers are journeying towards, contrasting it with their present earthly existence.
clarkePsalms 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."
Hear my prayer - Therefore, O Lord, show that mercy upon me which I so much need, and without which I must perish everlastingly. I am a stranger with thee - I have not made this earth my home; I have not trusted in any arm but thine. Though I have sinned, I have never denied thee, and never cast thy words behind my back. I knew…
bensonPsalms 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."
Psalm 39:12 . Hold not thy peace at my tears — Joined with my prayers. For I am a stranger, &c. — Though I be not only a native, but actually king of this land, yet, in truth, I am but a stranger and sojourner, both in regard of my very uncertain and short continuance here, where I am only on my journey to my real and long home…
The phrase "a stranger with you" is not just about being a foreigner in the world, but a profound acknowledgment that even in our earthly homes, we are ultimately sojourners in God's own territory, relying entirely on His permission and provision.
In this psalm, the psalmist is grappling with the brevity and vanity of life, realizing how quickly it passes and how insignificant earthly possessions and achievements are. He's been reflecting on his sins and the consequences he's facing, leading him to a place of deep humility and desperate pleading. This verse marks a turn from lamenting his condition to urgently crying out to God for mercy, reminding Him of their shared journey.
In this psalm, the psalmist is grappling with the brevity and vanity of life, realizing how quickly it passes and how insignificant earthly possessions and achievements are. He's been reflecting on his sins and the consequences he's facing, leading him to a place of deep humility and desperate pleading. This verse marks a turn from lamenting his condition to urgently crying out to God for mercy, reminding Him of their shared journey.
"“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers." — The phrase "a stranger with you" is not just about being a foreigner in the world, but a profound acknowledgment that even in our earthly homes, we are ultimately sojourners in God's own territory,…
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Last reviewed October 2026