A New Year’s declaration
LORD, let me know my end,
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is!
Behold, thou hast made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing in thy sight.
Surely every man stands as a mere breath! [Selah]
Surely man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nought are they in turmoil;
man heaps up, and knows not who will gather!
And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in thee.
From Psalm 39, RSV
I can think of no other holiday that brings with it such a range of feelings: hope, anxiety, despair, rejoicing. It is life itself, filled with uncertainty. In Psalm 39, one of my favorites, David grapples with mortality and the meaning of things. Here he is, king, in command of a powerful and united empire. Yet, before God, he is a man, no greater than any other. “Surely man goes about as a shadow!” He places no hope in the material or life and its expectations. Only in God is he satisfied. “My hope is in thee.” Such a outlook is soothing, refreshing. No matter what the year brings — good or bad, triumph or defeat, life or death — God is constant, and God is wholly to be pursued. Let us wait upon the Lord.
Similar Posts:
- “Set to the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’”
- A song in my heart
- This is it?
- Johnny Cash: Singin’ in Afghanistan/Iraq Talkin’ Blues
- Sexting: A picture is forever, but so is forgiveness
© 2009, Mark Adams. All rights reserved. For inquiries press here.
