Psalm 39:4: Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.
Experiencing Jesus in the Psalms
David recognizes the frailty of man and asks, “What is the purpose of life? What is it that gives meaning to existence?” This is a current question being asked by young people today and they are asking it with a bang. Christians can live in such a way today that there is no meaning to life. If you are a Christian parent, are you living a life that is turning your children on to Jesus Christ, or are you turning them off to everything that is Christian? There are many vagrants drifting over the face of the earth who have left home and gotten into a lot of trouble because of the poor examples set before them. Many of them have come from “good homes”—from all outward appearances they were good homes—but these young folk looked at the lives of their parents and said, “They have no meaning.” Oh, this psalm is relevant to the contemporary generation. David prayed, “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is”—give me purpose and meaning. 1
Living the Transformed Life
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12
- When you know that it is all temporal, you should live free of more possessions.
- When you know that time is very short, you should live with greater faith in Him.
- When you know that you will give account of your life, you should start being more accountable today.
To know your frailty is to know there is a future reality awaiting your arrival.
Praise and Prayer
Thank You, Father, for making each day matter more than the previous day. Dear Jesus, teach me to value every moment of every day.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: Poetry (Psalms 1-41) (electronic ed., Vol. 17, pp. 212–213). Nashville.