Psalms 39:4

4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

Psalms 39:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 39:4

Lord, make me to know mine end
Not Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, as Jerom interprets it; nor how long he should live, how many days, months, and years more; for though they are known of God, they are not to be known by men; but either the end of his afflictions, or his, latter end, his mortal state, that he might be more thoughtful of that, and so less concerned about worldly things, his own external happiness, or that of others; or rather his death; see ( Job 6:11 ) ; and his sense is, that he might know death experimentally; or that he might die: this he said in a sinful passionate way, as impatient of his afflictions and exercises; and in the same way the following expressions are to be understood;

and the measure of my days, what it [is];
being desirous to come to the end of it; otherwise he knew it was but as an hand's breadth, as he says in ( Psalms 39:5 ) ;

[that] I may know how frail I [am];
or "what time I have here"; or "when I shall cease to be" F21; or, as the Targum is, "when I shall cease from the world"; so common it is for the saints themselves, in an angry or impatient fit, to desire death; see ( Job 7:15 Job 7:16 ) ( Jonah 4:8 ) ; and a very rare and difficult thing it is to wish for it from right principles, and with right views, as the Apostle Paul did, ( Philippians 1:23 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (yna ldx hm) "quanti aevi ego", Montanus; "quamdiu roundanus ero", Vatablus; "quam brevis temporis sim", Musculus.

Psalms 39:4 In-Context

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
The King James Version is in the public domain.