Bless Our God - Part Fifteen

Introduction

When Jonathan Edwards was about 18 years old he began writing resolutions concerning how he would live. He ninth one was as follows: Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death. This is a good word for us.

Psalm 103 ESV

Of David. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

PRAY

If you remember our time last week, you recall that we saw that Yahweh has compassion on those that fear him because he recalls that they come from dust and are dust. David continues to highlight the weakness of man in contrast to God’s rule and God’s activity in the life of believers. This contrast is found is verses 15-19. It is our plan to work through these truths a little bit at a time. However, let’s read those verses again so you can get a feel for what David is communicating. Read 15-19 again.

Man is weak

As for man - David begins this contrast of man and God’s activity in the believer’s life by making a contrast. This is often call a simile. David compares to objects by using the term like. In other word, there are similarities between to the characteristics of the two objects compare. In this case, man’s days and flourishing are compared to that of grass and a flower.

His days are like grass - The existence of man is similar to the existence of grass. The life span of man is compared to the life span of the field’s flower. Grass is that which grows and is often to the food of grazing animals.

John Gills writes, “He himself is like the grass which springs out of the earth, continues on it for a time, and then drops into it; the continuance of the grass is very short, it flourishes in the morning, is cut down at evening, and withers.”

Psalm 102:11 ESV

11 My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

He flourishes - David does tell his reader that there is a flourishing that is enjoyed in the life of man. This literally means that man buds or blossoms. In some contexts it means to shine.

One commentator writes, “He flourisheth; i.e. he cometh up in full vigour, glorious to look upon, rejoicing in his youth and strength.”

When you think about this description, “He flourishes”. Man is truly an amazing creature. Man was fashioned by God, made in the image of God, and exist for the glory of God. The most true form of human flourishing is to have a restored relationship with God. Of course, we know that man has sinned against God and does not flourish in the ultimate sense apart from grace. Nevertheless, man is stately in his existence and potential.

Man is capable of so many awesome things. There is the ability to learn. The ability to reason. The ability to perform complex physical movements. The ability to invent. The ability to build. The ability to imagine. There are many abilities that man possesses that are expressions of this reality, however embedded in this phrase is the sobering reality that man’s flourishing limited.

Like a flower of the field - This is great translation of the phrase. One might think of a wildflower. The image is of a flower that grows in the wild.

James 1:9–11 ESV

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Man is frail. Man is weak. Man is mortal. man is helpless. Man is fragile. Man is feeble

Man is temporal

For the wind passes over it - Only a bit of a breeze blows away the flowering blossom of the wildflower. It does not seem that David is referring to a stormy wind, but just a gentle breeze.

And it is gone - It is not. The wind blows it away. It does not last.

Another writer:

Most of us are accustomed to seeing some kinds of green plants the year around. But Palestine is a semiarid land, and the color green is not common most of the year. The sparse rain that does come falls during the winter and early spring, causing the grass to spring up. When the rains cease and the searing winds of summer return, the grass quickly withers and dies. The brilliant flowers that carpeted the desert floor last only a short while and then are gone.

Job 14:1–2 ESV

1 “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. 2 He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.

James 4:13–14 ESV

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Man’s existence temporary. Man’s existence is transitory in nature. Man’s existence is brief.

Man is forgettable

And its place - Where the flower was rooted, shot up to grow, flowered and died.

Knows it no more - This is a way of communicating that man that the place sees man as completely gone. It disappeared and forgotten. There is not even a trace that proves its former existence. It is never to return.

Spurgeon, “Man also dies and is gone, gone from his old haunts, his dear home, and his daily labours, never to return. As far as this world is concerned, he is as though he ne’er had been; the sun rises, the moon increases or wanes, summer and winter run their round, the rivers flow, and all things continue in their courses.”

Practical Application

Life is brief

Death is certain

God is our help

Our God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home:

Under the shadow of thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure;

Sufficient is thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood Or earth received her frame,

From everlasting thou art God, To endless years the same.

Thy word commands our flesh to dust, “Return, ye sons of men”;

All nations rose from earth at first, And turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in thy sight Are like an evening gone;

Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood, With all their lives and cares,

Are carried downwards by thy flood, And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away;

They fly forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand, Pleased with the morning light;

The flowers beneath the mower’s hand Lie withering e’er ’tis night.

Our God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,

Be thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home.