Psalm 39 Study

Psalm 39 Study

Introduction

The passing of time is truly affects us all!

Illustration: I was trying to mow my yard last night. I was racing the setting sun. It won.

One thing that helps us grow a heart for eternity is the passing of time.

Our culture is engaged in a massive denial of time and aging. We remove the elderly to “retirement villages.” We employ cosmetics to keep us young looking. We pluck or dye gray hairs. We pay for facelifts and cosmetic surgery to reverse the aging process—but it is all in vain. Time marches on and so do we. If we add to this any sense of our own sin and God’s judgment, then, indeed, life seems empty at best.

This Psalm gives us a real awareness that the world of which we live in is quickly passing away.

You will find that due to God’s judgement on David, he breaks his silence and questions Him.

This Psalm will include both a direct prayer and meditation.

There is wisdom teaching here!!!

Here is a simple breakdown: 1) Breaking the silence; 2) Questions life’s meaning; 3) Call for forgiveness; 4) Assurance of answered prayer.

VERSES 1-3

He refuses to “sin” with his “tongue.”

He illustrates how needful it was to keep his mouth shut; “muzzle.”

James 3:5-10 “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Interesting enough, David even chose not to speak any “good.”

However, David’s silence finally turned to speach.

Due to holding everything in for too long, it all came busting out.

VERSES 4-6

The questions that had David simmering inside was the issues of death and life.

“end” = end of a definite time period rather than a goal; it is another word for “death.”

“measure” = sun of human life in the world.

David is pressured to have answers to these questions due to his sin and resulting sickness.

David actually states the answer to his own question:

“as handbreadths” = width of the hand measured at the base of the fingers, about four inches.

“age is as nothing before God” = compared to eternity, they are a mere blip of time.

James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

“Like a shadow”

David also paints a picture of people spending more time busying themselves to gather STUFF that will simply end up in some else’s hands.

Matthew 6:19-20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

Luke 12:13-21 “And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Here is a summary of David’s wisdom:

FIRST — our human life is frail and passes by as quickly as a vapor and shadow.

SECOND — time is sprinting away from us all.

THIRD — if wealth is the goal of your life, you are wasting your time.

Quote: “Only when we are ready to die are we ready to live” — Armand Nichole (Harvard psychiatrist)

VERSES 7-11

David is finally ready to approach the Lord appropriately due to acknowledging only in Him does his hope rest.

“Deliver me from all my transgressions”

“Transgressions” = moral violations of God’s will; rebellion; law-breakers.

“Deliver” = forgiveness and freed from consequences of actions.

This desire stems from David not wanting his enemies to bring reproach on him.

His enemies were simply saying that God would not listen, let alone provide him with forgiveness.

Notice verse 9

David is referring back to verse 2.

Here we see how important it is for God’s children to confess their sins.

God brought enough pressure so David would have to finally speak.

(v10) “Remove your plague from me”

“Plague” = stroke, mark, or plague-spot; signifying the mark of a disease sent as God’s judgement.

(v11) This is disciplinary.

With his health gone, he is reminded of the reality of his life.

Here is a summary:

FIRST — Our life is passing and our illnesses remind us of our mortality (All for the good).

SECOND — sin will often times lead to sickness.

Grace is the true medication we need!!!

THIRD — sickness can be viewed as results from our fallen nature, God’s judgement, to a result of Satan’s work.

VERSES 12-13

At one point David holds in his voice. Now, David holds out his sorrow before the Lord.

“Don’t be silent at my tears”

In other words, “Lord, look at my tears! Are not my tears evidence of my repentance? Do something about my tears!” John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary, vol. 1, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ps 39:12a.

Exploring Psalms 1–88, Volume One: An Expository Commentary A. Happy Again (39:12a)

The rabbis used to say that there are three kinds of supplication—prayer, crying, and tears; “prayer is made in silence, crying with a loud voice, but tears surpass all.

Exploring Psalms 1–88, Volume One: An Expository Commentary A. Happy Again (39:12a)

Farsighted as he was, David saw that there can be no happiness without holiness for God has joined the two together. There is pleasure without purity but there is no happiness without holiness.

“Stranger” (or house guest) & “Sojourners”

David was a house guest who had sinned against God’s laws of hospitality.

He felt estranged from Yahweh.

A stark contrast of an intimate personal relationship.

David’s heart had a cry for complete restoration of fellowship.

David learned that fellowship cannot exist apart from holiness.

(v13)

“spare” = look away

David wanted God to direct His gaze of judgement away from him.

“recover strength” = (lit) brighten up (like when the clouds roll away).

David was staring into the grace when he prayed this!!!

David did get better!!!