Self conversations can be insightful. However such conversation must be honest. Often it is disturbing to be honest with yourself. Discovering that we have been dishonest with God and self can be quite disturbing. How do we handle this realization when it occurs?
The psalmist made this promise to self: “I will watch my actions and not sin in what I say to the ungodly.”
Misunderstanding his wordlessness easily occurred! The result: He became the silent person saying nothing good or bad. His silence angered him! As a result, he burned his assumers with “hot” words!
His solution to this bad situation was astounding! He remembered the shortness of his life! At best life was just a moment! There was no time for angry words!
He compared the length of life to a changing shadow. We achieve success (then it was accumulating wealth) only to leave it. Nothing we achieve endures! His question belonged to everyone: “Where do I put my hope?”
The answer is affirmed by God: “In ME!” The psalmist knew the answer! However he was distracted!
God actively punished him for forgetting. He understood God’s actions, and pled for mercy.
Perspective restored, the psalmist in tears pled for God’s help, not God’s angry reaction. He pled as a guest, as one just passing through God’s territory. God’s just reaction to the psalmist’s mistake destroyed the psalmist’s ability to smile—life is too short to be spent anguishing over insulting God!
This is a strange psalm! In previous psalms his answer was to increase closeness to God. Here his answer is to increase distance from God!
Link to other Writings of David Chadwell