Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 39:7

"And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee." — Psalms 39:7 (ASV)

And now, Lord, what wait I for? – From considering a vain world—of the fruitless efforts of humanity, of whatever perplexed, embarrassed, and troubled him—the psalmist now turns to God and looks to Him as the source of consolation. Turning to Him, he gains more cheerful views of life.

The expression “What wait I for?” means: What do I now expect or hope for? On what is my hope based? Where do I find any cheerful, comforting views regarding life? He had found none in contemplating the world itself, in humanity and its pursuits, or in the course of things so shadowy and mysterious; and he says now that he turns to God to find comfort in his perplexities.

My hope is in thee. – In you alone. My reliance is on you; my expectation is from you.

It is not from what I see in the world; it is not in my power of solving the mysteries that surround me; it is not that I can see the reason why these shadows are pursuing shadows so eagerly around me.

It is in the God who made all, the Ruler over all, who can control all, and who can accomplish His own great purposes in connection with these moving shadows, and who can confer on people, so vain in themselves and in their pursuits, that which will be valuable and permanent.

The idea is that contemplating a world so vain, so shadowy, and so mysterious should lead us away from all expectation of finding in that world what we need, or finding a solution to the questions that greatly perplex us, directing us instead to the great God, who is infinitely wise, and who can meet all the necessities of our immortal nature, and who, in His own time, can solve all these mysteries.