Psa 39:11 | KingComments | STEP | After the “surely” that every man standing firm is altogether vanity in , there follows in the “surely” of every day’s practice: “Surely every man walks about as a phantom.“ The Hebrew word means ‘image’ or ‘shadow’. This is man who does not say “surely” to the truth that he is nothing more than a breath. That man chases after shadow images. It looks like reality, but it is to live in the lie. Today we can apply this to the virtual world, where a person pretends to be the person he would like to be but is not. He must become aware of the fact that his existence and future are filled with uncertainties. With another “surely”, David points out how people restlessly chase in vain after more possessions. This is closely connected to the worrying about the things of this life, which the Lord Jesus speaks about. That doesn’t help a person either. Nor does it add anything to the length of his life ( ). “He amasses [riches]“ but he can take nothing of it with him after this life. Added to this is the frustration of not knowing who will run off with his collection of goods after his death (cf. ). God calls someone who lives this way a fool ( ). David’s expectation is of a different kind. The vanity of transient life drives him to the solid rock of the eternal God. His hope is in the Lord, Adonai, the Ruler of the universe ( ). From his hope in the Lord, David asks if He will deliver him from “all” his transgressions ( ) and thus put an end to His disciplinary actions. He knows that God is able and willing to do that. He does not resist God’s discipline, but longs for its end. His demand for deliverance from all his transgressions is a profound confession that he has committed them. He does not demand deliverance, but longs for grace. This is what God wants to bring a person to, including the believer who has sinned. David adds that God’s deliverance results in the fact that he will not become “the reproach of the foolish”, that is, to the wicked person of . One who lives without God is a fool (cf. ). The deep awareness of his futility and especially of his transgressions toward the great God kept David from criticizing God’s doing ( ). He does not complain about what God has done to him. God has His purpose with what He works or allows in a human life. David will “not open” his “mouth” about it. He knows and acknowledges that God has done it ( ; cf. ). God is not the Author of evil or sin, but uses it in carrying out His plans with man and with creation and in disciplining His own. When he asks in if God will remove His plague from him, it is not a rebellious question. God has brought His plague upon him and only God can take that plague away from him as well. As a motive, he argues that he is perishing because of the opposition of God’s hand. There is no strength left in him. Has God then not yet achieved His purpose with His discipline? Is His combating of the sin he has done then any longer necessary? The chastisement with which God has chastised him for his iniquity has destroyed what is precious to him ( ). The Hebrew word for “precious”, hamudo , means “his desire, his lust”. The Lord’s disciplining purifies the heart, causing the transgression to lose its attractiveness to the heart. God has pulverized him with His chastisement as if he were a moth. As in , David comes to realize the futility of man through the discipline of God. Here he bows down deeply before God and acknowledges that there is nothing left of him. What David is to God, every human being is to God: a breath, vanity.

‏ Psalms 39:11

Hope for Deliverance

After the “surely” that every man standing firm is altogether vanity in Psa 39:5, there follows in Psa 39:6 the “surely” of every day’s practice: “Surely every man walks about as a phantom.“ The Hebrew word means ‘image’ or ‘shadow’. This is man who does not say “surely” to the truth that he is nothing more than a breath. That man chases after shadow images. It looks like reality, but it is to live in the lie. Today we can apply this to the virtual world, where a person pretends to be the person he would like to be but is not. He must become aware of the fact that his existence and future are filled with uncertainties.

With another “surely”, David points out how people restlessly chase in vain after more possessions. This is closely connected to the worrying about the things of this life, which the Lord Jesus speaks about. That doesn’t help a person either. Nor does it add anything to the length of his life (Mt 6:27). “He amasses [riches]“ but he can take nothing of it with him after this life. Added to this is the frustration of not knowing who will run off with his collection of goods after his death (cf. Ecc 2:18-19). God calls someone who lives this way a fool (Lk 12:16-21).

David’s expectation is of a different kind. The vanity of transient life drives him to the solid rock of the eternal God. His hope is in the Lord, Adonai, the Ruler of the universe (Psa 39:7). From his hope in the Lord, David asks if He will deliver him from “all” his transgressions (Psa 39:8) and thus put an end to His disciplinary actions. He knows that God is able and willing to do that. He does not resist God’s discipline, but longs for its end.

His demand for deliverance from all his transgressions is a profound confession that he has committed them. He does not demand deliverance, but longs for grace. This is what God wants to bring a person to, including the believer who has sinned. David adds that God’s deliverance results in the fact that he will not become “the reproach of the foolish”, that is, to the wicked person of Psa 39:1b. One who lives without God is a fool (cf. Psa 14:1 ; Psa 53:1).

The deep awareness of his futility and especially of his transgressions toward the great God kept David from criticizing God’s doing (Psa 39:9). He does not complain about what God has done to him. God has His purpose with what He works or allows in a human life. David will “not open” his “mouth” about it. He knows and acknowledges that God has done it (Psa 39:10; cf. Amos 3:6). God is not the Author of evil or sin, but uses it in carrying out His plans with man and with creation and in disciplining His own.

When he asks in Psa 39:10 if God will remove His plague from him, it is not a rebellious question. God has brought His plague upon him and only God can take that plague away from him as well. As a motive, he argues that he is perishing because of the opposition of God’s hand. There is no strength left in him. Has God then not yet achieved His purpose with His discipline? Is His combating of the sin he has done then any longer necessary?

The chastisement with which God has chastised him for his iniquity has destroyed what is precious to him (Psa 39:11). The Hebrew word for “precious”, hamudo, means “his desire, his lust”. The Lord’s disciplining purifies the heart, causing the transgression to lose its attractiveness to the heart. God has pulverized him with His chastisement as if he were a moth. As in Psa 39:5, David comes to realize the futility of man through the discipline of God. Here he bows down deeply before God and acknowledges that there is nothing left of him. What David is to God, every human being is to God: a breath, vanity.