Chronicles of a Journeyman

Psalm 39

1-6: A Burning Message – the Brevity of Human Life

7-11: Response to Insight – A Plea for Divine Mercy

12-13: Conclusion – A Pilgrim’s Prayer to YHWH

This psalm of David explores the brevity of human pursuits, the futility of sinful living, and the intensity of divine wrath.

First, David holds back his speech, and his raging thoughts burned within him until he spoke. His words? They were instructive! He observed the brevity of human life and castigated the human pursuits for wealth and relevance as fleeting.

His response to his observations is to plead for the LORD’s mercy so that his life is not wasted in the pursuit of vanity. He wants to be delivered from wrongdoing and the attendant divine wrath so that his few days may be spent in virtuous living and under divine favour.

He concludes this psalm by identifying as a stranger, pleading that the LORD’s watchful eyes will be turned away so his few days will not be spent in misery.

David is drawing a connection between a life of sin and the vain pursuits of a brief human life. He sees the intensity of the LORD’s wrath upon sin (often in pursuit of wealth and power) and pleads for forgiveness and help for righteous living, concluding by asking for the Lord’s righteous anger to be turned away in mercy.