MAN—VANITY YET VALUE

The question “What is man?” is asked twice in the psalms. Each time a different answer is given. In Psalm 8. 4-9, the dignity and dominion of man are considered. In today’s psalm, we are faced with the frailty and transience of his being. “Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away”, vv. 3-4. If we read the context of these verses, they could seem isolated from the rest of the contents. Verses 1-2 are an affirmation of confidence in the strength and power of the Lord who teaches the writer victory. Then follows a cry for intervention to overthrow the enemy, vv. 5-8. Yet pausing to reflect, where would man be, even we ourselves, in our frailty, if the Lord did not “Bow thy heavens … and come down”?, v. 5.

It is to the blessing of every Christian to realize that the Lord does not despise the weakness and failure of our humanity; note Psalm 103. 14, “he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust”. So it is that He condescends to our low estate, that through the work of salvation He might lift us up, even to heaven itself. We can join with the psalmist in verse 9, as we sing even a better “new song” than he knew, “It is he that giveth salvation”. The true dignity of the man portrayed in Psalm 8 can only be regained and revealed, as in grace the Lord takes frail and fallen man, in Christ bringing him to glory. Let us consider all the implications of this today.

It is interesting to read the rest of the psalm, and to consider the possibilities of blessing for those people who know God as their God, v. 15. Verses 11-14 give a picture of the earthly blessing and prosperity of God’s people when they are delivered from their enemies, v. 11. There is a healthy and happy family life, v. 12. Garners are full and livestock are productive; there is no falling away and no complaining, v. 14. We look at the nation naturally and say that this is but the fulfilment of promise and godliness. Over against this, put the desire of John in 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”. Frailty yet fulness—what does this mean?

Let us ask today, “If our material, physical well-being depend on our spiritual health, how would we be?”. May we find our true strength and fulfilment in communion with God.