Psalm 39 Devotional

The Brevity of a Breath

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.”Psalm 39:7 (BSB)

Psalm 39 begins with an attempt at silence. David resolves to guard his tongue in front of the wicked, but holding it in only makes his distress burn hotter, until he finally speaks (39:1-3). What he says is surprising. He asks God to show him how short his life is (39:4). His days are only a few handbreadths, his lifetime is as nothing before God, and every person, even at his best, is only a breath (39:5).

That honesty leads to the turning point. What is he waiting for? His hope is in the Lord (39:7). Seeing how fragile life is pushes him not into despair but toward God. He asks for rescue from his sins and calls himself a foreigner and passing guest with God, as his ancestors were (39:12). The psalm ends with a raw, unresolved plea for relief before he is gone (39:13). Remembering that life is short is not morbid. It loosens our grip on what cannot last and turns our hope toward the One who does.

To think about: How might remembering the shortness of your life change what you hope in and what you hold loosely this week?