Psalm 39:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

NIV: When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth-- surely everyone is but a breath.

NASB: With rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing; You consume like a moth what is precious to him; Certainly all mankind is mere breath! Selah

CSB: You discipline a person with punishment for iniquity, consuming like a moth what is precious to him; yes, every human being is only a vapor. Selah

NLT: When you discipline us for our sins, you consume like a moth what is precious to us. Each of us is but a breath. Interlude

KJV: When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

NKJV: When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah

David recognized that his frustrations about wicked people (Psalm 39:1–3) were ultimately brought about by his own sinful actions. God was correcting David with loving consequences, teaching him to change and turn away from those actions. The Lord weakened David to show him that life is uncertain and brief (Psalm 39:4–7). In acknowledging his sin (Psalm 39:8–10), David responds to discipline in a godly way.

Moths and other insects can quickly destroy fabrics and other possessions. This was even more a danger in the ancient world before synthetic fabrics and pest control. Just as suddenly and surely, the Lord can "consume" what is dear to a man. David already realized that heaping up wealth contributed nothing to eternity (Psalm 39:6). Earthly treasure remains behind when a person dies, but eternal treasure awaits the faithful servant of God when he enters heaven (Matthew 6:19–21). The apostle Paul understood the vanity of earthly treasure and the value of heavenly treasure. Therefore, he exhorted the Colossian Christians: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1–2).

Psalm 39:8–13 closes as David repents of sin. After expressing his need for humility and perspective, David suggests that some of his current struggles are the result of his own sin. This suggests that God is disciplining David through these experiences. As observed in the first part of the psalm, life is brief. David does not want to spend what little time he has under the Lord's chastening hand. He wants to spend his days at peace with the Lord and with joy in his soul.

David chooses not to speak in the presence of certain evil people. This might have been to avoid slander, or to not speak unfairly about God. In frustration, David calls on God to adjust his perspective. He asks to be reminded of life's brevity; the Lord's infinite perspective makes our troubles seem small. David acknowledges his sin and that God has disciplined him. Even so, he places all his hope in the Lord.

This psalm is related to Psalm 38. Both focus on David's response to sin and the hardships which life brings. Rather than speaking out against wicked people, David asks God to remind him of the brevity of life. Job 7:16–17 parallels the themes found in this psalm. Likewise does Psalm 90. No specific incident is tied to this writing, but it may have been inspired by David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.