Perspective - Psalm 39


“I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me…….Then I spoke with my tongue: ‘Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.’”  -Psalm 39:1, 4

King David wrote many Psalms of lament – being in intense anguish and sadness – over his enemies, his own sins, etc.  In Psalm 39, the question arises in the beginning, what was David keeping his mouth shut for so that he wouldn’t sin?  And after keeping silent, why does he then speak up in prayer only to ask God to show him how frail and how short his own life truly is in the grand scheme of things?  Dr. John MacArthur offers that David had made a covenant with himself to not blame/accuse God for the unfairness he believed he was witnessing in everyday life – a theme common in books such as Ecclesiastes and Job – why do the wicked seem to prosper while the good people suffer? 

This is an interesting thought which helps to make more sense of David’s choice of silence and his prayer.  The point is, instead of complaining to God and even accusing Him of wrongdoing (a sinful action), David prays that the Lord would give him perspective.  Perspective in this life is so crucial – which perspective do you have?

David was praying for his perspective to be providentially and sovereignly changed by God Himself, the only One who can truly see all things with proper perspective.  David knew having the self-righteous attitudes of ‘I don’t deserve this’ or ‘This isn’t fair, God’ were both the wrong perspectives to have.  Instead, he maintains faith in the Lord and he prays for Godly perspective.  He prays to God to help him see himself for how he truly is – an insignificant, powerless individual whose life will be but a blip in the course of human history; a person whose only hope of forgiveness, salvation, redemption and justice is found in God alone.

Do you struggle with a self-righteous attitude?  Do you sometimes blame God for life’s injustices?  If so, which I would argue we all do in some regard, do what David was led by the Spirit to do.  Instead of complaining and blaming, begin praying……praying for Godly perspective.  For Godly perspective in our lives: we must view ourselves the right way (insignificant, powerless sinners) and view God the right way (Sovereign, Almighty, our only hope of forgiveness, salvation, redemption and justice).

How is your view?



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