Our Days Are Numbered, Give Your Life To God
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. Psalm 39:4
That verse says that our days are numbered. Most of the time, this translation of the Bible uses the word numbered, relating to a total of people. Twice, it mentions numbered days, as well.
We see it in Lamentations during a time of intense oppression that the people of Jerusalem faced. The Babylonians had laid the city under siege, making life very uncertain.
We couldn’t go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed! Lamentations 4:18
In a prophetic book of the Bible, it uses the phrase “days are numbered” in a negative context. It appeared in Daniel when he interpreted the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar.
This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Daniel 5:26
Only God knows the number of days we have on this earth because He has them numbered. On the same train of thought, He also has every hair on our head numbered.
God Has Numbered More Than Just Our Days
Why should we maintain conscious thoughts about how many days we have in our present life? Well, it helps us to make an effort to stay in obedience to the Lord. Look what the Psalmist said.
I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” Psalm 39:1
He wanted to exhibit a Christian attitude around ungodly people. Maybe, just maybe, it would rub off on them and spark their curiosity of his demeanor. However, it didn’t work that way.
But as I stood there in silence—not even speaking of good things—the turmoil within me grew worse. Psalm 39:2
He didn’t say anything good or bad. He just stayed quiet. I’ve observed that some people don’t like quiet. Instead, they talk without really saying anything. They feel a need to fill the silence.
I don’t know what the Psalmist expected. Whatever it was, it didn’t meet his expectations. The silence rang so loud in his head that he started to lose it, and the words poured out.
The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words: Psalm 39:3
Then, it dawned on him that he had acted exactly the opposite of what he intended. At that point, he got a hold of himself. He remembered that God had numbered his days.
The Insignificance of Our Time
The Lord created us in His image, which makes us significant in His eyes. Most people miss that significance; instead, time becomes their greatest asset. James put it into the proper perspective.
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. James 4:14
I don’t want you to think that I am saying your time is insignificant. No, but because God has numbered our days, we should become good stewards of our time. James continued.
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. James 4:15-16
One day, the clock began ticking. It started when God created time. David mentioned how the days of our lives compare with the length of time between creation and eternity.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude. Psalm 39:5
Before we bought our house, it stood empty for a couple of years. During that time, our neighbor took advantage of the backyard. Not long after we moved in, they had a family picnic there.
They set their picnic table under the shadow of their tree, which shaded our yard. As I watched, they continually moved the table because the shadow kept moving. Life moves like a shadow.
We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. Psalm 39:6
Our Hope Rests in God
God has numbered our days, and when compared to eternity, they don’t amount to a drop in the bucket. Therefore, trust God and rely on Him because you have no one else to turn to.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me. Psalm 39:7-8
Peter told us in his first epistle that we are temporary residents and foreigners passing through on the earth. Since God has numbered our days, he admonished us to stay out of trouble.
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian Church, he agreed with what Peter said. He went a step further to inform us of our final destination.
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. Philippians 3:20-21
As David brought Psalm 39 to a close, he made two key points about his life on earth.
Because God had numbered his days, he was God’s guest and just a traveler passing through.
Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest—a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. Psalm 39:12
Lord, since you have numbered our days here, help us to live our fullest for you. We look forward to our permanent residence with you forever.
Check out these related posts about hope.
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