My Hope Is in the Lord
(Psalm 39:6-11)

People in the world dream a happy life. However, we cannot enjoy happiness with only material things and powers in the world because everything in the world is vain before death. We can enjoy real happiness through Jesus Christ. Psalm chapter 39 was written when David looked back on his life lamenting emptiness and weakness of life and asking salvation before God. Arrogant people put their hope in the world while people who realize their sins and weakness put their hope in the Lord alone.

1. Human-centered life
Human-centered life enables people to think that they can do everything. Those who live human-centered life are the center of the universe, have human-centered worldview, and pursue the humanly things in the world. However, all human efforts and endeavors will be vain without God. David says a person without God is “a mere phantom” (Ps. 39:6). Therefore, we should put down vain and useless human-centered life and live a holy and mature life before God.

2. God-centered life
David put his hope in the Lord alone because he realized the emptiness of life and its limit (Ps. 39:7). People who put their hope in the Lord can overcome the emptiness of life. They are those who live a God centered-life. They give the best to the Lord and realize that God is their own master. So they enjoy peace and life by overcoming any difficulties. Therefore, we should test and approve His good, pleasing, and perfect will and live a God-centered life even when we are in trouble.

3. The guidance of God
Finding the vainness and weakness of life, David who put his hope in the Lord alone looked back upon his wrongdoing caused by his human-centered life and asked God’s mercy. Likewise, when we decide to live a God-centered life and follow His guidance, God saves us from all our transgressions and helps us not to be the scorns of fools (Ps. 39:8). Therefore, even when we are in the difficulties, we should fix our eyes on the providence of our good God who prepares for us. When we put our hope in God and cry out with tears, God rescues us from the despair, restores our life, and guides our lives.