Psalm 39:5 Behold, you have made my days as an handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before you… These simple words have an energy in them which none but a dying man can fully understand. We may, indeed, have felt something of their meaning, as we have heard them read over the corpse of a beloved friend, but then this feeling has been neither deep nor lasting. The cares or pleasures of the world have again called for and had our whole attention. The psalmist's words lead us to consider — I. WHY HE CALLS THE DAYS OF LIFE OUR DAYS. Strictly speaking, they are not so, not one of them, but — 1. They bring to us innumerable mercies as they hurry on. 2. And they are allowed to us that in them we may work for eternity. 3. We have to account for them hereafter. They are recorded in the Book of God. II. THEIR SHORTNESS. They are so by comparison. 1. With the period once allotted to the life of man. 2. With the duration of many objects around us. 3. With the eternity of God. 4. With the work we have to do.How diligent, then, should we be. And how silently our years pass away. There is also another painful thought connected with the silent rapidity of time — the longer we stay in the world, the swifter does its flight appear. A year to a man is not more than a few months to a child. Our days seem to rush on with a more silent and rapid motion the nearer they draw to the goal of death, as though they were eager to bear us away unawares to our destined eternity. The fact is, that time, correctly speaking, is nothing more than a succession of ideas; these ideas are less numerous, and the impressions they make less deep and permanent in old age than they are in youth; and consequently the road of life has fewer marks to remind us of our progress. III. THEIR VANITY. But here, perhaps, it may be said, "What if the period of life is thus transitory? Man is a great and noble being, and has powers that enable him to crowd into this short existence a consequence and dignity suited to his greatness." The words before us however speak no such language. There is another truth declared in them, which pours contempt on all human greatness. They tell us, not only of the shortness of life, but of the vanity, the utter nothingness, of man. This is the testimony they give, "Verily, every man, at his best state, is altogether vanity." Therefore — 1. How precarious and how little worth are all our earthly blessings. Death soon carries them away. 2. And so of all our schemes and prospects. How forcibly, then, are we reminded of the great duty of consideration, of serious thoughts on our life and responsibility; how great an evil is sin, and how great a necessity is our trust in God. (C. Bradley, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. |
    |