In 1 Chronicle 25:1-6, we are introduced
to some singers set apart for the service in the temple. Jeduthun was one of those mentioned besides Asaph and Heman. He was one of those
who presided over the music in the sanctuary during the reign of David. Psalm 39
was written by David for the choir
director, and Jeduthun was specifically mentioned. This Psalm tells us that without factoring God, life is hopeless and
transient. Hence it is needful to factor God into our life, and trust Him to
bring the best out of our hopelessness.
Realizing the danger of the tongue, David sought
to suppress it. He was aware of the destructive forces that could be released from
his speech. Especially in the presence of his oppressors. He didn’t want his
words to cause him to sin against God. He was determined to stay silent and not
to express his perplexities. He would not murmur and complain about his
suffering, to give no room for his opponent to malign God, thinking that the
Great Almighty had mistreated His own. He refused to give an occasion for any
reproach to be brought against God. However, as he refrained from complaining
about his suffering, he found it hard to contain the turmoil and the pent up
emotion within him, so he spoke out to God. Good for David, he did not express
it to anyone but to God in prayer. This is a good example to emulate. If we
have any struggle and dissatisfaction, the best person to bring to is God. To
speak to any other person would make us grippers, murmurers and complainers. It
would leave a negative impression about God, especially those who oppose us and
would not trust God. The best recourse is prayer.
In his prayer David asked to know how to
truly appraise himself and life. He requested for knowledge so that he
could come to grips concerning the transitory nature of life and earthly
existence. Sagaciously, David saw that life was in effect short and uncertain.
Once he saw that, he was no longer overwhelmed by the perplexities, troubles
and struggles he encountered in life. It helped him to cast himself entirely
into the hand of the eternal God. Notice how David described the shortness of
life. It’s as short as handbreadths. And in the light of God’s eternalness, the
length of life pales by comparison. No matter how well one may be in life, it
is only as long as the length of a breath he breathes. In verse 6, David said
that life is not only brief, but also futile. The striving of life only makes great
hullabaloos out of living. One may feverishly pursue wealth, fame, popularity, pleasure,
and the list can go on, only to discover the futility of it all at the end.
With great insight, David in verse 7 shows us
that the wisest action to undertake was to place his hope in God. Why? Our satisfaction
in life can never be found in the things we have amassed. It can only be
derived from our relationship with our Creator God, who alone will gives us satisfaction
in life. David concluded that the struggles he had were but divine chastisement
for his transgression. So he sought God’s forgiveness. He realized that God
alone could deliver him. If there was any way of being redeemed, it could only
be found in God. So he made his final plead in verses 12-13, and asked for
deliverance.
No matter what we are struggling
about in life, remember never to murmur, grumble or gripe, especially before
non-believers. For when we do so, it reflects how little we understand the love
and mercy of God. It will also give people, who have heard our gripping, the wrong
impression about our wonderful God. We should also remember that life is brief
and is futile. It would be a waste of precious time to engage in endless murmur,
complaints, or in the pursuit of wealth, fame and pleasure. Life should be
meaningfully engaged in pursuing God, to know Him and to be known by Him. Whatever
perplexities we have concerning life, we can bring them to God. Let’s not
forfeit the peace and rest God wants us to have by not seeking Him in prayer!
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