Psalm 78:39

Psalm 78:39

A passing breeze

There’s one thing that some of the ancient Bible writers could do better than us, they were able to put their lives into a proper perspective. They knew their time on earth was short, that they were not really that important in the bigger scheme of things, and they realised that mortality was a finite gift from God. They had no awareness of resurrection; it had not been invented yet! They were only vaguely aware of what lay beyond the grave, but one thing was sure to them, when you leave this world, you do not come back. Man is just a “passing breeze that does not return.” Put it another way, “For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” Psalm 103:14-16. Apologies to Hindus and the like, you are not going to return to this world in some form or other, the only returnees are those who will come to reign with Christ.

It is suggested, in this verse, that it is the awareness of our mortality that has assuaged the wrath of God described in verse 38, “time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath.” There is almost a hint that the Lord God, being full of anger at the actions and unbelief of men, is about to pour out the cup of His vengeance and then He suddenly withdraws as if to say, “What’s the point? They’re only here for a very short time, they are just a passing breeze, so why should I punish them while they’re here, they have punishment enough awaiting them beyond the grave.” What an indictment of humanity and what a tribute to a merciful God who keeps on giving us chances!

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