When Life's Too Short
I’m dying. But not yet.
My life is finite. And so is yours.
This summer, I’m pausing the blog on parenting to counsel the Word on some other subjects. Here’s an excerpt from my latest book on what to do when you realize that life’s too short.
Read Psalm 39:
A Psalm of David.
1 I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence." 2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. 3 My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
4 "O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7 "And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11 When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!"
To the choirmaster.
Understand Psalm 39:
David exhorts his people to corporate worship as Psalm 39 contemplates man’s shortness of days before the eternal God. In this psalm, David expresses four ways which God humbles us by the brevity of life.
A. Life’s Too Short to Waste Your Words (vv. 1–3)
First, God humbles us about the way we speak. David recalls how he had once professed, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence” (v. 1). Since he cannot say anything good, he doesn’t say anything at all. He refuses to compound his problems with sinful speech or to give his enemies more reasons to defame his God. David willfully muzzles himself like the coming Messiah, who would also keep silent like a sheep before its shearers (Isa 53:7; see Matt 27:12–14).
Humility teaches us how to be silent, but also when to speak. As David continues, “Then I spoke with my tongue” (v. 3c).[1] Yet his heart’s first cry is not to rebuke his enemies, to justify himself, or even to call on trusted counselors. Instead, he first laments before the Lord. So also, our natural response when sinned against should be humility in prayer. God knows our hearts even before we unload our pains. With others, we must be “slow to speak” and “slow to anger” (Jas 1:19b), but our Father is ready to receive us as we are. Fervent prayer slows down our speech when people speak nasty words of us. We don’t need to vomit on others when God is our listening friend (Philippians 4:6–7).
Do you want peace in your life and relationships? Then pray.
Do you want Christ Jesus to guard your heart? Then pray.
Do you want to be one who is wise with your words? Then pray.
Do you want to specialize in gentle answers which turn away wrath? Then pray.
Prayer is the pathway to peace as it fills you with the mind of Christ.
B. Life’s Too Short to Store Up Earthly Wealth (vv. 4–6)
The second way God humbles us is by the limit of our days. As David pleads, “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!” (Ps 39:4). He speaks these words before Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God, whom he knows to be eternal, omniscient, and omnipotent: “Help me to remember that life is short. Teach me, O Lord, to number my days.” David counts his life as but “a few handbreadths” (v. 5a)—one of the smallest units of length.[2] He then claims before the God of the universe, “My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!” (vv. 5b–c; see Eccl 1:2). All worldly pursuits are vain for human life is extinguished in the time it takes to inhale and life is a vapor compared to eternity. David’s despair over this earthly life fills him with the hope of heaven. As he numbers his days, God bestows “a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12).
How might we live differently if we knew for certain our days would be cut short? Would we change our way of life? Would we invest more time in relationships with loved ones or spend fewer hours at work? Would we give more generously instead of heaping up earthly rewards? Life’s too short to take up all our time, treasure, and thoughts. Instead, let’s focus on eternity, so that God might grant us a heart of wisdom. For God is our Substance in a world of shadows—our solid Rock in a vaporous existence. As his created ones, we were made to bear his image.
C. Life’s Too Short to Stray from God (vv. 7–11)
A third way God humbles us by the brevity of life is through discipline for sin. From his lament, David now turns to confident declaration: “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you” (39:7). David confesses his sin and cries out to be forgiven (v. 8). Instead of protesting the verdict, he seeks mercy from his righteous Judge (vv. 9–10). For the Lord's discipline has consumed his earthly treasures like a moth before the flame (v. 11a). And in humility, he concludes once more, “Surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah” (v. 11b).
How can God withhold the punishment we deserve? How can a righteous Judge release us from the penalty without the payment? We cry, “Unfair! Unjust!” Yet God’s redemptive plan is greater than our own. For in humility, David points us forward to our coming Savior, Jesus Christ, whose life also was cut short by the sin of others. He endured injustice and his Father’s discipline on our behalf as he took our place (Isa 53:4–6). Yet Jesus did not revile the wicked fools who mocked him (v. 7). Instead, he remained humble in his speech, humble in death, and humble before the Lord (Phil 2:5–8). He alone perfectly bore his Father’s likeness as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15). He alone would be the Light of the world to lead mankind out from the shadows (John 8:12). Therefore, none can ever measure up to Christ. As we gaze on him, we are increasingly made like him and will one day be perfected in his glory (2 Cor 3:18). Christ alone is our blessed hope both in this brief life and in the eternal life to come.
D. Life’s Too Short to Build Your Kingdom (vv. 12–13)
God humbles us in speech and in silence, in our shortness of days, and through his loving discipline. Lastly, he humbles us as sojourners in a land which is not our own. Psalm 39 concludes, “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers” (v. 12). How can Yahweh, the covenant Promise-Keeper, ignore the cries of his anointed? How could the God of compassion seem so unaffected by David’s tears and the king himself be merely a guest in the land over which he rules? And why does David press the Lord to look away from him and not upon him? Who will accept a child if not his heavenly Father? David voices our own discomfort in a world which is not our own (17:14). For as the citizens of heaven, we are simply pilgrims on this earth (Phil 3:20; 2 Pet 3:13). Thus, our trials fill us with anticipation for the coming King and homesick for a better city “whose designer and builder is God” (Heb 11:10, 13; see Ps 110:1). In many ways, it’s good that life is short.
David acknowledges God’s discipline as right and just, but pleads with God to end his wrath: “Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” (39:13). The Lord ministers to David in the moment, but his ultimate answer would not come until he looked away from David’s greater Son. The Lord would not remove his wrath from sinners until he poured out wrath on Christ (Rom 3:24–26). In this way, we are forgiven because he was forsaken (Matt 27:46). We are healed of deadly wounds because the perfect Lamb was struck (Isa 53:4). We are called God’s righteous ones since he was called a sinner (2 Cor 5:21). No longer are we destroyed by the discipline of heaven because the King himself became a sojourner on this earth. He made himself unwanted, so that we might be made God’s children (John 1:9–12).
Therefore, let us make the most of our short life for him whose life was cut short for us (Mark 10:45). Let us live for Christ as we sojourn through the shadowlands and rejoice that “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor 4:17). Then, as we emerge on the other side of glory, may all of us be changed (1 Cor 15:51)!
Self-Reflection in Psalm 39:
1. What makes it hard to hold your tongue when critics attack (Ps 39:2–3b)? How can you cultivate humility in your heart, so that prayer becomes your first response when enemies surround you (v. 3c)?
2. How does Paul connect prayer with peace when you are anxious? Pray through Philippians 4:6–7 to remind yourself of these truths.
3. Hold up four fingers pressed together (a handbreadth), then measure your years against the eternality of God (Pss 39:4–6; 90:12). Does this reality make each day seem more or less important?
4. How would you live life differently if you knew had only one year left? How would you view your wealth and possessions? Where would you invest your time, treasure, and thoughts? How might keeping death before you help you to live a better life (Luke 12:15–40)?
5. Reflect on the following truth claims:
· Life’s too short to waste my words (vv. 1–3).
· Life’s too short to store up earthly wealth (vv. 4–6).
· Life’s too short to stray from God (vv. 7–11).
· Life’s too short to build my kingdom on this earth (vv. 12–13).
Counsel Psalm 39:
Many labor under the false premise that this life is all that matters as they build their little kingdoms on this earth. We can show them how to practice humility in speech, patience as they number their days, confession when they face God’s discipline, and eternal hope from remembering their identity as sojourners. Ultimately, we must lead them to Jesus Christ who made the most of his short life in order to redeem ours.
Projects for Growth (Psalm 39)
1. In what situations do you need to “muzzle your mouth” until your heart can get right with God (v. 1)? How does a prideful heart lead to sinful speech? To sinful silence? What do you learn about humility in speech from both David and from our Lord Jesus Christ (Isa 53:7)?
2. Meditate on David’s images to describe life’s brevity: a few handbreadths (Ps 39:5a), a drawn-in breath (vv. 5b, 11b), a shadow (v. 6a), a moth too close to the flame (v. 11b), a sojourn in a strange land (v. 12c). Then, read Isaiah 40 and reflect on the glory of our infinite, eternal God.
3. Look back on your thoughts, words, and actions this past week. How much of what you accomplished in this life will truly matter for eternity? What specific changes will you begin to make in order to store up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:19–21)?
4. Prayerfully discuss with your family both short-term and long-term financial investments in meaningful kingdom ministry. Then, start to prioritize those funds in your personal budget.
5. How might God remove certain earthly securities to compel you toward confession (Ps 39:7–11)? Describe a time your Father’s discipline led you to seek his mercy and forgiveness (Heb 12:5–6).
6. Read Jesus’ parable of the wealthy fool (Luke 12:15–21). How does his warning help you to find peace amidst anxiety (vv. 22–34) and prepare you for your Master’s return (vv. 35–40)? How can a sojourner mentality guard you against building your kingdom on this earth?
7. Memorize Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” How will you grow in wisdom and relationships for the remaining years God gives you in life (v. 10)?
8. Do you focus on developing résumé virtues (i.e., knowledge, experience, skill) or eulogy virtues—the ones which will be spoken at your funeral? What can you do to shift toward the latter?
9. Pray Psalm 39:
· Guard my speech and help me be slow to anger (vv. 1–3).
· Teach me, O Lord, to humbly measure my days (vv. 4–6).
· Father, cleanse me by your loving discipline (vv. 7–11).
· Then, grant me relief from your righteous wrath (vv. 12–13).
[1] The phrase, “with my tongue,” brackets verses 1–3 to focus on David’s humility in speech.
[2] The distance across four fingers held together is a handbreadth—about three inches wide. This measurement was derived as ancient potters shaped the neck of clay vessels. As they placed their fingers inside the curvature to hollow out the rim, the diameter of the opening was called a handbreadth (e.g., Exod 25:25).