Psalm 39 (NIV)
1 I said, “I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
while in the presence of the wicked.”
2 So I remained utterly silent,
not even saying anything good.
But my anguish increased;
3 my heart grew hot within me.
While I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Show me, LORD, my life’s end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
even those who seem secure.
6 “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
without knowing whose it will finally be.
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.
8 Save me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the scorn of fools.
9 I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
for you are the one who has done this.
10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow of your hand.
11 When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin,
you consume their wealth like a moth—
surely everyone is but a breath.
12 “Hear my prayer, LORD,
listen to my cry for help;
do not be deaf to my weeping.
I dwell with you as a foreigner,
a stranger, as all my ancestors were.
13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
before I depart and am no more.”
CONSIDER THIS
Today’s post is from A Meditative Journey Through the Psalms by Timothy and Julie Tennent. He holds the Methodist Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School and served as president of Asbury Theological Seminary for fifteen years. She is a gifted musician and was one of the driving forces that helped bring to fruition the Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. We will share some of their writing on the Psalms on Sundays.
There are both similarities and differences between the psalms and our hymns or choruses. They are similar in that both contain acts of praise and adoration to God. However, one of the many differences is the scope of what is covered in the Psalms. Many of the acts of worship in the Psalms are quite different from what we might experience on a typical Sunday in church. The Psalms contain songs of deep repentance, songs of lament, songs reviewing the history of Israel, songs of instruction, songs of imprecation, and so forth. There is no doubt that there is great variety in the Psalms. One way of looking at the Psalms is to see them as a collection of 150 distinct journeys.
The journey of Psalm 39 is an important one. It is a psalm dedicated to helping us gain perspective. We all know how easy it is to get caught up in our day-to-day activities. We have meetings to attend, errands to run, money to be earned, children to be shuttled from place to place, laundry to be done, etc. In the midst of all the busyness of life, it is easy to lose perspective on what really matters. This is where Psalm 39 speaks to us: “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. . . . Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it” (vv. 4–6).
This is a great example of what I call a psalmic wake-up call. You won’t find hymns like this in your church hymnal! It puts life in perspective and calls us to say with the psalmist: “Lord . . . my hope is in you” (v. 7). All the things of this life will someday fade away. This psalm uses the same Hebrew word used in the book of Ecclesiastes to describe the fleeting nature of this world: vanity or meaningless (Eccl. 1:2; Ps. 39:5–6, 11).
When I was growing up, my mother had a small picture of Jesus in her kitchen with the words beneath: “Just one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” That is a great summary of the message of this psalm.
For the Awakening,
Timothy and Julie Tennent
THE HYMN
Sing Psalm 39 with the Seedbed Psalter today. We suggest the tune MORNING SONG (“My Soul Gives Glory to My God”). You can hear the tune played online by Julie here. If you listen to the podcast audio version, we will sing the psalm in this same tune. For your convenience, the words from the Psalter are printed below.
1 I said, “I will watch all my ways, and keep my tongue from sin;
I’ll put a muzzle on my mouth while with such wicked men.”2 But while I silent was and still, not even speaking good,
The anguish in my soul increased, though try as best I could.3 My heart grew hotter within me, as, thinking one by one
of all my troubles, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:4 “Show me, O Lord, my life’s short end, the number of my days;
Make me to know how fast it flies—how fleeting are my days.5 “For You have made life but a breath; my days are a short span;
My years are nothing before You, a mere breath is each man.Selah
6 “So, phantomlike we go about, we scurry all in vain;
We heap up wealth, but don’t know who will end up with our gain.7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My only hope’s in You;
8 Save me from my transgressions, and the scorn of fools subdue.9 “I’m silent, and keep my mouth closed, for all this You have done.
10 Remove Your scourge from me, for by Your hand I’m overcome.11 “For You rebuke and discipline all men for all their sin;
And You consume our wealth like moths—we are but breath and wind.Selah
12 “O hear my prayer and listen, Lord, to You for help I cry;
Don’t be deaf to my tears, for like a foreigner am I.“I’m a sojourner with You as my fathers were before.
13 Turn Your gaze so I may rejoice before I am no more.”
2 Responses
Gaining Perspective
What should we look for? Our hope is in Christ and in being directly and inwardly led by His Spirit — “Christ in you the hope of glory.” (See verse 7.) Timothy Tennent wrote: “Many of the acts of worship in the Psalms are quite different from what we might experience on a typical Sunday in church.” Let’s get back to gathering for worship under the direct inner leading of the Holy Spirit.
Here are some things that came to my mind this morning that are helping me gain perspective on how the body of Christ can function more effectively and how it can more clearly demonstrate the kingdom (direct inner government) of God:
* The body of Christ is all the people worldwide who are living under the direct Headship of the risen Jesus by being internally led by His Spirit.
* The ekklesia is any gathering of two or more Christ-followers to listen to and be directly led by the Holy Spirit together. The ekklesia is continually being built by the living Jesus (Matthew 16:18) wherever people gather in His name to let Him lead them by His Spirit and assemble them together heart-to-heart on the rock of direct revelation from God.
* A church is a human led religious organization that is substituted for Christ’s Spirit-led ekklesia assemblies. (Theologian Emil Bruener wrote in his book “The Misunderstanding of the Church:” “What we know as the church or churches resulting from the historical developments cannot claim to be the ekklesia in the New Testament sense.”
* Christ’s apostles are “sent ones.” That’s what the Greek word “apostle” literally means. To be sent on a mission by the Holy Spirit is to be an apostle (a missionary). (Acts 13:2)
* Christ’s prophets are people who hear directly from God (Revelation 2:7) and are prompted by the Spirit to share what they have seen and heard. They are revealers who show people what God is saying and doing.
* Christ’s evangelists are Spirit-led recruiters for the body of Christ. To introduce people to the risen Jesus and help them surrender to the direct inner government of His kingdom is to be an evangelist.
* Christ’s pastors are shepherds. They are Spirit-directed overseers who observe and watch over gatherings of the body of Christ. Anyone who watches out for other Christ-followers and compassionately redirects them when they are off track is an overseer.
* Christ’s teachers are disciple makers. They train and coach people to daily follow and obey the risen Jesus. (Matthew 28:19-20)
* Don’t just study or memorize or analyze the 5 gifts that Christ gave the members of His body, (Ephesians 4:7-16) demonstrate them in your daily life. Find people who are functioning as sent ones, as revealers, as recruiters, as overseers, and as disciple makers and let them help train you to be directly led by the Spirit so that you too can demonstrate the functions of those 5 gifts. (Ephesians 4:12-13)
See Seedbed February 27, 2025.
Answered prayer.
Psalm 39:13
David’s prayer asked God to turn away. God answered David’s prayer in Jesus on the cross when Jesus asked God why have You forsaken Me?
Many times I have been on the mountain top with God full of Holy Spirit joy and a rock solid connectedness to God. Next moment in the valley feeling the loss of connection and wondering what happened and how to get back on the mountain top. While on the mountain top, feels like the Love, Joy, faith connection will last forever. I have to believe along with JD that God is still with us, even when the connection feels broken.