Life Is Short

“Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You: Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah”
– Psalm 39:4-5

When reading a Psalm, it is important not to skip over the word Selah. This is a Hebrew word that has been interpreted as instruction calling for a break in the song. It is a call for pause and contemplation of what was just said. David is telling the congregation that there is a break here. He is telling us to stop and spend a moment to meditate on the previous words spoken because the words he wrote here help us gain perspective.

David is very transparent with God. As he cries out to the Lord, he places himself in the right position. He is reminding himself of who he truly is with the Lord. It is as if he is telling the Lord, “I am nothing and You, Lord, are everything! Life is short, and I do not have a lot of time on this earth. Help me, Lord, to live for you while I am here.” This was David’s point, and it kept his purpose in this life within proper view.

Knowing our correct standing with God helps us gain the right perspective. So often, our perspective and attention are self-centered. Life can become all about our concerns. And we can think of ourselves as more than what we are. We can begin to believe our status in this life is more important than our standing with the Lord. But, we must have an eternal perspective. Like David, if we maintain this view, we will want to do everything according to God’s will. We will desire to build His kingdom and not bury the gifts He has given to each of us. We will use our gifts to fulfill the call He has on our lives. Are your talents being used for His glory or yours? Are you using them at all, or have they been buried?

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
– 1 Peter 4:10