Week 21 Psalm 144
David asks the question: O Lord, what are mortals that you should notice us, mere humans that you should care for us? For we are like a breath of air; our days are like a passing shadow.
I slow down. Tip-toe through this paragraph. It says I’m like a passing shadow. I’m thinking – okay, where does that leave me? What’s a passing shadow worth?
If I’m out on the prairie under a high blue summer sky and the wind is pushing clouds along I might see cloud-shadows off in the distance rushing darkly across the flat bright fields. It’s a pretty nice thing to see and I like it – a kind of visual dynamism. But even though it does register on my Things Worth Paying Attention To Scale it registers near the bottom-end. Here at 3:00:00pm. Gone at 3:00:03pm.
I don’t think David’s point is that – in absolute terms – I’m worthless. I’m not worthless. I’m noticeable. Interesting. There’s a definite worthwhile-ity to me. It’s not like I don’t register on the scale. I have a kind of low-level visual dynamism. But brief. Lightweight. Okay…but not as awesome as I think.
Psalm 144:4 isn’t the only verse in the bible that talks about what people are like.
But it’s the only verse on that topic today.
And when I think about it being told I’m not as awesome as I think is only an insult if it isn’t true.
Note: quote from Psalm 144:3-4 (NLT)