Day 202: Psalm 39

SCRIPTURE LINK: Psalm 39

Life can get pretty complicated at times. Sometimes there are no easy answers. If you’ve ever struggled with anger or your tongue or sin or simply struggled to get perspective, Psalm 39 should give you some comfort. At least you’ll see David’s honest struggle and realize you’re not alone.

BACKGROUND

The heading of this psalm says it’s for Jeduthun, the chief musician or choir master. Jeduthun is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:16; 16:38-42 as a Levite and as one appointed by David to play a musical instrument to accompany songs of praise to God. Perhaps David wrote the words and gave them to the musician to set to music.

This psalm follows naturally from the preceding one, and many commentators have linked the two chronologically. Perhaps they spring from the same incident in David’s life. We don’t know, and I’m glad David isn’t clear about exactly what occasioned this psalm, because it applies so well to quite a few struggles. He struggles here with himself and with God.

REFLECTION

It’s hard to be corrected by God. It hurts our pride. It’s embarrassing. We don’t want to look bad. I think that’s what happened to David here.

David didn’t want to sin more, so he resolved to hold his tongue and not sin verbally. But being silent didn’t cure what was wrong inside. He was still churning inside – so finally he did speak – to God!

He asked for perspective.

The truth is that our time here on earth, even if we live ninety years, is short. David used metaphors of vapor or breath, moving shadows, a hand’s width, and a moment to picture his life span. People rush around trying to accomplish something, to make names for themselves, to accumulate wealth. They may even do it. But then they die and leave it all – the name, the things, the money.

The turning point of this psalm is verse 7. David says, “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?/ My only hope is in you.”

When I was growing up my mom hung a little plaque on some wall of each home we lived in. Sometimes it was in the bathroom where we were forced to look at it regularly, a kind of captive audience! So its words are etched in my mind, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

I think that’s what David’s saying here. What we put our hope in is what we live for.

We know David did sin. A couple of instances, his blatant sin with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of Uriah are recorded for us in II Samuel 11. But David probably forgot who his hope was in more than that one time. That would be easy to do as king. It would be easy to think that you were in control. And it’s easy for us to do. God stopped David and punished him. We don’t know how David sinned on this specific occasion, but God made it clear to David that he wasn’t as powerful or in control as he thought he was.

We read in this psalm of David’s surrender. He asks God to hear him. He states that he realizes that he is God’s guest here on earth, a traveler – not a permanent resident – and certainly not in charge.

Remembering all that puts things in perspective. It did for David and it does for us, too.

APPLICATION

What is your hope in? Who and what are you living for? What is most important to you? When we sin we are shouting to God that our hope is in ourselves and what we want. God in His mercy, punishes us, His children, and so reminds us that we are frail and not as strong as we think we are. God becomes our beloved enemy to turn us from ourselves to Him.

It is so easy to lose perspective and major on what is truly unimportant and temporary, rather than to keep our eyes on the Lord and realize that He’s in charge, that He alone knows the big picture.

Make this psalm a kind of yield sign. Take the time to look, to evaluate your life by this psalm, and to yield to God if you’ve taken control in some way. Don't wait for His hand of discipline.

PRAYER

LORD, give me perspective. Please make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am. Keep my gaze on You and help my hope to be in You and not in what is temporary.