Psalms 39:6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew:
This world is a mere theater, and men strut across its stage, acting their various parts. They come and they go as if they were mere figures moved by invisible wires; the most of men do not live at all, but only seem to live for they have not the true, spiritual, eternal life within them. Every man walks like a performer in a pageant, or like those who march in a procession. We think we are standing still, and watching others pass by, but we are ourselves part of the vain show, and are passing away with the rest.
Psalms 39:6. Surely they are disquieted in vain: -
They fret, they fume, they vex themselves, but it is all in vain. They make a noise, so the Hebrew says, in vain. Hear the clamor of the streets, hear the buzz of the exchange, hear the noise of war, and the shouts of conflict. It is all in vain, it is all for nothing. You are troubled about your business, troubled about your children, troubled about your wealth, troubled about I know not what; surely, you are disquieted in vain. Oh, that we could but believe that all this disquietude is only vanity! Then might we live much more peaceful lives.
Psalms 39:6. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
He has cut his corn, and it stands in sheaves in the field, but his enemy comes, and carts it away; or if he has gathered it into his granary, it is consumed by rats or mice, or it becomes mildewed and useless. How many there are who spend their lives gathering wealth with the muck-rake, and then their sons come with the fork and shovel, and scatter it quite as quickly as their fathers gathered it. What is the good of getting all this gold together, and stinting yourself in order to get it, when the one who has it after you will never thank you for it, or if he did, you would be dead and buried, and would know nothing of his gratitude?
Psalms 39:6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew:
This world is a mere theater, and men strut across its stage, acting their various parts. They come and they go as if they were mere figures moved by invisible wires; the most of men do not live at all, but only seem to live for they have not the true, spiritual, eternal life within them. Every man walks like a performer in a pageant, or like those who march in a procession. We think we are standing still, and watching others pass by, but we are ourselves part of the vain show, and are passing away with the rest.
Psalms 39:6. Surely they are disquieted in vain: -
They fret, they fume, they vex themselves, but it is all in vain. They make a noise, so the Hebrew says, in vain. Hear the clamor of the streets, hear the buzz of the exchange, hear the noise of war, and the shouts of conflict. It is all in vain, it is all for nothing. You are troubled about your business, troubled about your children, troubled about your wealth, troubled about I know not what; surely, you are disquieted in vain. Oh, that we could but believe that all this disquietude is only vanity! Then might we live much more peaceful lives.
Psalms 39:6. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
He has cut his corn, and it stands in sheaves in the field, but his enemy comes, and carts it away; or if he has gathered it into his granary, it is consumed by rats or mice, or it becomes mildewed and useless. How many there are who spend their lives gathering wealth with the muck-rake, and then their sons come with the fork and shovel, and scatter it quite as quickly as their fathers gathered it. What is the good of getting all this gold together, and stinting yourself in order to get it, when the one who has it after you will never thank you for it, or if he did, you would be dead and buried, and would know nothing of his gratitude?