805. PSA 90:9. THE TALE OF LIFE
Psa_90:9. The Tale of Life
"We spend our years as a tale that is told."’97Psa_90:9.
It is very probable that this psalm is one of the oldest compositions in the world; it was written by Moses at least three thousand three hundred years ago. It is a psalm in which there is a striking representation of the eternal immutability of Jehovah, Psa_90:1, Psa_90:2. With this is given a most affecting representation of the brevity and vanity of human life, Psa_90:3, and to the text. Numerous are the figures employed by the sacred penman to make this subject striking and affecting. Man is a hireling or servant, who goes to labor in the morning and returns to rest in the evening. His days are as a weaver’s shuttle’97as a shadow, &c. He cometh forth as the flower, &c. And in the affecting imagery of our text, "We spend our years as a tale that is told." Our text presents two important ideas for our reflection.
I. Life in its responsibilities.
II. Life in its evanescence and vanity. I. Life in its responsibility.
"Our years." Life is that period which God has given us; it is ours as an evidence of his goodness and longsuffering. We may look at our years in several respects.
1. In their design.
The design of them is, that by their wise improvement we may secure a blessed eternity. Our years are to be spent in reference to the future. We are now to labor for the bread of eternal life. Now to build a structure which is to last forever. Now to form a character and acquire the prerequisites for an endless state of being. Now sin must be blotted out. Regeneration of heart and a title to heaven secured. We waste and pervert our years, if objects inferior to these engross our energies and lives. Consider our years,
2. As distinguished by many mercies. Very varied, indeed, are the circumstances of mankind; very diversified are those of the same individual. But there is one characteristic which follows us all the days of our life, and that is mercy. The mercy of a just and holy God towards us sinners. Mercies which are seen flowing to us in temporal bounties, supplying all the need of our dying bodies. Mercies which regard our health and strength of body, our reason, &c.; our domestic blessings, &c. Mercies which relate to the means of grace, &c.’97to the provisions of holiness’97and to all our opportunities of salvation. Our years may be regarded,
3. As to our responsibility for them. We must give an account both of them and for them. They are all recorded in God’s book. They will all stand before us in the last day. Not one year, nor even one day will be forgotten. They will be presented to us just as we spent them, whether wisely or foolishly’97whether religiously or profanely’97whether usefully or as perverted by us. Our years, as the pages of a volume, will be filled up by our actions, words, and thoughts; and. not one incident in our lives, whether good or bad, left out. Our years then will fix our state and decide our everlasting destiny. How we should value them; how we should be affected by their removal; how we should examine and see whether our years are spent so that we shall not be ashamed or terrified when they meet us again at the last day. But let us notice,
II. Their evanescence and vanity.
"We spend our years as a tale is told." This part of our text is variously rendered. By some it is thought to mean, as a meditation or rapid thought of the mind; or, as a word that is quickly spoken; or, according to the literal reading of the text, as a story or tale that is told. Let us look for the illustration of the text, in a number of persons assembled round the domestic hearth, and when the evening is spent in the telling and hearing of stories or tales. Now we
1. All the variety of tales or stories in the lives of mankind.
The history of some persons is made up of levities and foolishness, and resemble the idle or ludicrous story. The history of others is associated with mere pleasures, like the story which just amuses. In the lives of others we see link after link of striking incidents, like a highly-wrought and affecting tale. Others seem born for adversity and cradled for sorrow, as the calamitous or tragic tale. But most interesting tales are distinguished for variety of incident; and are rendered more striking by the light and shade, the prosperous and the adverse, which in succession are presented to the reader. Now this best accords with human life. Like an affecting tale, it is made up of changes and reverses, of joy and grief, of health and sickness, of births and funerals, of the gay and grave. In this, how life resembles the day, bright, cloudy, calm, stormy, &c. Or the ocean, still and serene, or boisterous and tempest-tossed.
2. Our lives are often spent as idly, and vainly as a tale is told.
The telling and hearing of a mere story is at best but amusing, and is not attended by profit. Just so, to a great extent, with our years. We may not neglect our temporal concerns; our pecuniary affairs; indeed, we may be very diligent in these: but is this the end of life; will this do for us in a dying hour and in the day of judgment? If we live without self-improvement; if we live without glorifying God; if we live without doing good to those around us: in other words, if we are not wiser, and holier, and more useful’97then do we spend our years as a tale that is told. All else but these are mere trifles, and so we shall consider them at the last day.
3. We spend our years as imperceptibly and rapidly as a tale is told.
An amusing or striking tale beguiles time, and we are often amazed how quickly the hours have flown. Just so is it with life. Let any person look back for any given number of years; the youth upon the last few years; the mature upon twenty years of the past; the aged on the threescore years which they remember’97and what is the feeling’97the solemn impression? How short, how rapid, how evanescent, one and all would exclaim: "We spend our years as a tale is told." We remember when we were surrounded by the companions of our childhood; the play-fellows of our youth; the friends of our riper years: and we stand amazed at the years we have lived, and exclaim, "We spend our years," &c.
4. Our years resemble a tale that is told, in the certainty of their termination.
The tale or story has its finis as well as its beginning. So our years must come to a conclusion. Every year is a chapter in the volume of life; every month is a paragraph, every week a sentence, every day a word, every moment a letter, and the sum and finish of the whole must come. Every thing around us proclaims the certainty of this. Our friends, of whom we have been bereaved; our habiliments of mourning; our funeral processions; our newly-made sepulchres: all remind us that the tale of life will certainly come to an end. And it may be that our lives may only be an episode, or a brief narrative, or a mere fragment; but, however protracted, it must conclude; and that period cannot be far off, "for we spend our years," &c. Let us learn,
1. To form a true and sober estimate of human life.
Let us not deceive ourselves in this matter. The scriptures will aid us in these meditations, and they are adapted greatly to improve and profit us.
2. Let us take a review of the past. Have we not spent much of the past idly, vainly, and to no really good end or purpose? For this we should mourn before the Lord, and seek the forgiving mercy of God. But should we not resolve as to the future, and redeem the time?’97not only because the days are evil, but so many have teen spent as a tale, &c.
3. To a wise and satisfactory employment of life, several things are necessary.
(1.) A good foundation. A saving knowledge of Christ and the power of the gospel. A new heart and right spirit.
(2.) A good rule of action. To regulate our lives by God’s holy word. To take this for our guide and directory.
(3.) A diligent spirit in matters of religion. To be ready to every good work. To be fervent in spirit, &c.
(4.) A good end in view. Keeping the approbation of God before our eyes. Looking not at the things which are seen, &c. Let me entreat you to regard these things. Oh, that we all and each might be awakened from a tale-telling mode of existence’97that we might give all diligence to make our calling and election sure!
Autor: JABEZ BURNS